A PENSIONER has vowed to keep giving blood as long as possible after reaching her 100th pint milestone.

Beryl Rivers, from Breinton, started donating blood in February 1977 and has been back at every opportunity since in the hope that she can help those in need.

"I've just always wanted to give blood so thought I would give it a go and have never missed a session since," said Beryl.

"If I could save somebody's life then that is something I have always wanted to do."

Despite being 76-years-old Beryl plans to carry on giving blood every four months until doctors tell her she's unable to anymore.

She added: "I'm quite happy to carry on as I got older.

"At one time you had to stop aged 60 but when I reached that age they made 65, then it was 70 and now the doctors have decided that you can go on as long as you like.

"As long as I am healthy which they check by testing me every time I go then I will just carry on."

The need to give blood was brought close to home when Beryl's granddaughter was involved in a near fatal car crash and needed a blood transfusion.

She added: "She was in a very bad accident and without a blood donor she would have lost her life.

"It makes you feel at least you have helped somebody which is lovely to know.

"I think young people have so much going on a lot of them don't have enough time to donate. It's quite difficult to find a lot of people who have done 100 donations."