RESIDENTS are being called on to brave the elements and help save lives.

The National Blood Service has reported a 10 per cent drop in attendance at donor sessions recently in the area.

And organisers believe this decrease has come as a result of flu and floods across the area.

Blood service spokesman Jim Moir said: "Historically, this is usually a busy time of year for collecting blood but many of our donors are coming down with coughs and colds.

"And there is the additional factor of bad weather affecting travelling for donors attending sessions."

Redditch usually does well for producing donors at its monthly sessions but now it too has shown a marked drop in the number of people attending sessions.

At the latest series of sessions in the town, Headless Cross produced 111 donors compared to 149 the previous month, Winyates produced 115 donors compared to 126 in October and the town centre session produced just 84 donors compared to 146 previously.

Spokesman Peter Staples said: "Redditch is a prime example of a town where we usually do very well but has suffered as a result of a number of different things which have occurred at the same time.

"Blood levels have taken a beating in Redditch, as they have across the West Midlands in general and indeed nationally."

For details of Redditch's next blood donor sessions or to register as a donor, call 0345 711 711.