Newbury blood donor gives his last pint after 70 years

Tony White from Newbury has been giving blood for more than 70 years with a total of 141 pints leaving his body.

His run has finally come to an end with his last pint given this month - and he said he was only stopping because his doctors told him too.

Tony has been donating blood since the late 1950s.

He said: "I'll drive 100 miles to donate if it's critical; I have to.

"It's a good thing to give blood and it doesn't hurt."

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Tony began to donate blood after he left the army in, 1959 and he has filled his annual donation quota ever since, which at times has reached four pints in a single year.

Tony White from Newbury began donating blood after leaving the army in 1959

He said the process had changed over the years as when first started giving blood, he remembers being in and out in seven minutes, but now he has to drink a lot of water before, and rest with a cup of tea afterwards.

And his final pint was given on Thursday, February 10 at the Fieldgate Centre in Kingsclere.

He said he has never been afraid of needles, which he is aware puts many people off donating, but he still wants to encourage everyone to give it a go.

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He added: "It's great because when you give blood they send you a message saying thank you, and then the next day they tell you what hospital it's been sent to so you know it's being used for good."

The pensioner was told that he should stop after he had donated 100 pints when he was 70, but he refused to unless absolutely necessary.

But now a stop has been put on it after doctors discovered that he has an irregular heartbeat.

Tony is currently taking blood thinners in an attempt to treat it.