A DARWEN blood donor living in New Zealand has been honoured for giving up hundreds of pints of his rare blood to help in life-threatening situations.

Peter Barry, 69, moved to New Zealand in 1964 after 30 years in Darwen.

Last week he made his 100th blood donation to the New Zealand Blood Service.

Peter's rare blood type makes him popular with the service and he has been called to hospital to give emergency blood on no fewer than ten occasions.

Peter, who lives in Palmerston North, in the North Island of the country, said: "The latest I've been called out is midnight.

"It is when someone needs blood quickly because they are losing it at a rapid rate.

"They need the blood urgently or they will die."

The retired salesman's '0 Negative' blood-type, known as the universal donor, can be given to any of blood types A, B or AB.

Around seven per cent of the population in New Zealand is known to have the blood type, together with seven per cent of the UK population.

Peter, who lives with his wife Jean, was awarded a medal and a certificate for 100 donations to the service.

He has given blood four times a year for the past 25 years and is only the 14th person in Palmerston North's population of 73,000 to be honoured for the milestone since 1986.

He said: "I have the certificate on the wall and I'm very proud of it. Only around four per cent of people in this area give blood and that's nowhere near as high as it should be."

Peter was educated at Lower Chapel Primary School and went on to Darwen Grammar School before taking up a job as a fitter.

He left Darwen aged 30 and was later to become branch manager of an engineering and supply company in New Zealand.

His two children, Karen, 46, and Graham, 44, live in Australia.

He said: "I would urge everyone in Darwen to give blood because it can really make the difference between life and death.

"I will carry on giving blood until I get to 75 if I'm well enough and that's when you have to stop."

In the UK, only six per cent of the population are regular blood donors and last year, 2.5 million donations were made by 1.9 million donors.

To donate blood or to find out more about the National Blood Service, contact 0845 771 1711.