The NHS has issued an urgent plea for more people to donate rare B negative blood.

NHS Blood and Transplant service says that 1,497 B Negative donors in the region are eligible to give blood right now. Only 2% of the population has B negative blood, making the supply limited.

The NHS is calling on these donors to come forward urgently as a combination of a shrinking B negative donor base and recent high demand for B negative blood has left stocks under pressure.

Patients with this rare blood type can only receive B negative or O negative blood causing higher stress on the supplies of O negative.

As well as B negative there is an ongoing need for more donors with O negative and RO blood types.

The NHS needs up to 200,00 new blood donors each year to replace those who stop. Donating a unit of blood takes just an hour and each donation can save up to three lives, men can give blood every three months and women every four months.

It is quick and easy to book an appointment to give blood. Call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk