AN Emneth man who has been donating blood for almost 50 years was been honoured with a special award as his efforts may have helped to save more than 225 lives. Bruce Mason has been honoured by the National Blood Service for donating 75 units of blood. Mr

AN Emneth man who has been donating blood for almost 50 years was been honoured with a special award as his efforts may have helped to save more than 225 lives.

Bruce Mason has been honoured by the National Blood Service for donating 75 units of blood.

Mr Mason, 65, of Church Road, started giving blood as an 18-year-old after his father needed a transfusion.

He said: "People need blood all the time and it is nice to know it is there for you if you ever need it.

"It has just become part of my life really and I don't think too much about it."

Mr Mason received an engraved crystal plate earlier this week during the blood donor session that took place at the Elme Hall Hotel.

Only a handful of donors each year reach 75 blood donations and with only 4 per cent of people who could give blood actually doing so.

Gareth Bell, spokesman for the NBS in Cambridgeshire: "Blood donors like Bruce are simply heroes in our eyes."

"It is an amazing achievement. Only a very small number of donors will ever match his record of giving 75 times."

The NBS are reminding regular donors to make sure they give every 16 weeks, that's just three times-a-year throughout the summer months when collections can fall by up to 20per cent.

Last week the NBS made an appeal for 100 blood donors to donate at a session in March last Friday.

Mr Bell, added: "We had a target of 100 donations, we collected a staggering 146 units on the day, of which 14 were new donors."

The next blood donor session will be on Tuesday August 26 at the Elme Hall Hotel from 1pm to 3.30pm and again from 4.30pm to 7pm.

In most cases anyone aged between 17 and 60, who is generally fit and healthy, and weighs over 7st 12lbs, can give blood.