An instrument for endoscopic applications or the like, which instrument comprises an intermediate cylindrical member, an inner cylindrical member inserted in said intermediate cylindrical member and an outer cylindrical member surrounding said intermediate cylindrical member, the inner cylindrical member being composed of a first rigid end part, a first flexible part, a first intermediate part, a second flexible part and a second rigid end part; the outer cylindrical member being composed of a third rigid end part, a third flexible part, a second intermediate part, a fourth flexible part and a fourth rigid end part; such that the length of the different parts of the inner and outer cylindrical members (2, 4) are substantially the same so that the different parts are aligned with each other, the instrument having a first end portion and a second end portion opposing said first end portion, the intermediate cylindrical member having a handling end portion with a flexible portion at said first end portion and actuating means located at said second end portion, which actuating means comprises a fifth rigid end part, the handling end portion having a sixth rigid end part connected to the actuating means by means of a number of longitudinal elements for transferring a movement of the actuating means to a bending of the handling end portion, said longitudinal elements being separated from one another by a number of longitudinal slits formed in said intermediate cylindrical member, each longitudinal element being composed of a strip (91, 93; 101, 103; 111), adjacent strips (91, 93; 101, 103; 111) being separated by a gap (94, 95; 104, 105; 112), characterised in that a plate (96, 97; 106, 107; 113) is located in said gap (94, 95; 104, 105; 112) and is arranged to move in a longitudinal direction of said gap but has a circumferential width filling the width of said gap such as to guide said strip (101, 103; 111). the inner cylindrical member being composed of a first rigid end part, a first flexible part, a first intermediate part, a second flexible part and a second rigid end part; the outer cylindrical member being composed of a third rigid end part, a third flexible part, a second intermediate part, a fourth flexible part and a fourth rigid end part; such that the length of the different parts of the inner and outer cylindrical members (2, 4) are substantially the same so that the different parts are aligned with each other, the instrument having a first end portion and a second end portion opposing said first end portion, the intermediate cylindrical member having a handling end portion with a flexible portion at said first end portion and actuating means located at said second end portion, which actuating means comprises a fifth rigid end part, the handling end portion having a sixth rigid end part connected to the actuating means by means of a number of longitudinal elements for transferring a movement of the actuating means to a bending of the handling end portion, said longitudinal elements being separated from one another by a number of longitudinal slits formed in said intermediate cylindrical member, each longitudinal element being composed of a strip (91, 93; 101, 103; 111), adjacent strips (91, 93; 101, 103; 111) being separated by a gap (94, 95; 104, 105; 112), characterised in that a plate (96, 97; 106, 107; 113) is located in said gap (94, 95; 104, 105; 112) and is arranged to move in a longitudinal direction of said gap but has a circumferential width filling the width of said gap such as to guide said strip (101, 103; 111).