The Cancer Society's inflatable colossal colon is making a return to Papamoa next month to give the public a unique hands on introduction to the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.

The pink, six metre inflatable walk-through returns to Papamoa Plaza on June 3 as part of Bowel Cancer Awareness month and men's health month.

Waikato University students will be in charge of the colossal colon next month.

The Cancer Society is hoping it will get people talking about bowel health.

'The idea is to provide a unique, hands-on experience which will hopefully get people thinking about what they can do to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer,” says Waikato/Bay of Plenty Cancer Society health promotion manager Melanie Desmarais.

'We brought the colon to Papamoa Plaza last year and were extremely pleased with the response we got from shoppers. This is a fantastic opportunity to reach a broad range of people to increase cancer awareness.”

Students from the University of Waikato's Tauranga campus will be running the display, giving shoppers the chance to step into the colon, which has been designed to inform the public about the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.

In addition to the giant colon, the event will feature a fun quiz designed to increase visitors' knowledge about their health, as well as the opportunity to win a variety of prizes.

Bowel cancer is one of New Zealand's most common forms of cancer, with more than 1200 Kiwis dying every year as a result of the disease.

'The problem is many people don't experience symptoms early on - or they choose to ignore them – so prevention and early detection are key,” says Melanie.

'While no single factor is to blame, there is increasing evidence that lifestyle, particularly physical activity and good nutrition, are important factors in prevention.”