A Wellington man celebrated making his 100th blood donation this week in Langford Budville.

Derrick Tron, 79, said he gave simply ’because it’s the right thing to do’.

Tron, whose blood-type is O positive, said he also welcomed the follow-up from the NHS Blood and Transplant service. "A week or two after I give blood, I get a card from them saying that my blood was used in Bristol, or Hereford, or Carshalton or wherever. And that’s a very good feeling," he said.

Tron used to run the general shop the Mantle Street Stores, and said he was known as ’Mr Mantle Street Stores’ by locals.

His blood donations started when he was in the Army in the 1960s, but he hasn’t counted those donations in his century, which accounts for more than 80 pints.

Tron urged others to consider giving blood: "It doesn’t hurt, it’s very easy and you’d be doing a world of good," he said.