DONORS are desperately needed to give blood this week.

NHS Blood and Transplant has appealed for help as less than half of appointments have been filled for blood donation sessions at the John Radcliffe Hospital this week.

Just 48 of 110 appointments have been booked on Wednesday, and 43 of 52 on Friday.

The organisation said: "We urgently need donations after the recent bad weather and stocks are low.

"We especially need donors with B negative and O negative blood.

"Patients at local hospitals rely on people giving blood."

Vacant appointment slots are between 8am and 12.45pm on Wednesday, or 2.20pm until 15.20pm the same day.

On Friday, appointments run between 7.55am and 11.05am, and 12.20pm and 3.20pm.

All take place at the Oxford Blood Donor Centre on the John Radcliffe Hospital site in Headington.

Last week the director of blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, Mike Stredder, appealed for more Oxfordshire first-time donors to come forward in 2018.

Anyone able to donate can call 0300 123 23 23 or visit blood.co.uk to book.