Five long-standing blood donors from the Bradford area have been honoured for rolling up their sleeves to help save lives.

The veteran blood donors were recognised by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), at a recent awards ceremony, for donating either 75 or 100 times.

Only around four per cent of the eligible population give blood and of that four per cent, only two per cent reach 75 donations and one per cent reach 100 donations, so both are rare milestones.

Three of the donors – Linda Scott, Bogdan Artuchiewicz and Jim Magennis, all from Bradford, were presented with a commemorative crystal plate for reaching 75 donations.

Two of the donors – Susan Stones, of Bradford and Della Lomax, of Denholme, were presented with a special crystal decanter for making their 100th donation.

As each blood donation can potentially help save the lives of three people, between them the five donors may have saved 1,275 lives over the years.

Mrs Lomax, an exam invigilator at Keighley’s Oakbank School, has been donating for 37 years. Talking about her reasons for giving blood, the 55-year-old said: “You never know when you or your family may need it and you expect it to be available.”

Mrs Stones, 49, an administration assistant at Bradford College, first started donating in 1984 as her husband was a donor and retired 65-year-old, Mr Magennis, first started donating in 1974 while working as a farm labourer when the farmer he was working for invited him to accompany him to a session.

He said: “I was hooked! It sounds strange, but giving blood is, for me, a relaxing experience. I just lie down and think it’s meditation with a practical end in sight.”

He encouraged others to give blood, saying: “Imagine someone you love has been involved in a serious accident.

“Wouldn’t you be willing to give your own blood to save them, or if you weren’t there, wouldn’t you be relieved if a stranger had already done this?”

The donors were presented with their awards at a ceremony in Harrogate by grateful Yorkshire blood recipient David Copes. Mr Copes needed 40 units of blood after receiving horrific injuries in a motorcycle accident near Leeds.