A SOUTH Devon man has reached the commendable milestone of having donated blood 100 times.

It was the promise of a day off which spurred Iain Connell on to start giving blood more than 40 years ago.

‘I was in Germany in 1973, then Northern Ireland in early 1974, shipped back at the end of that year, so 1975 would have been my first lot,’ Iain said.

‘The day off would have been on Saturday, but at the place I was stationed we didn’t work Saturday or Sunday anyway.

‘When a man in a high authority says you can have the next day off you say yes!’ he said with a smile.

The armed forces was a big part of Iain’s life, spending his 21st birthday abroad in Germany.

Thereafter, Iain donated blood every quarter until his 66th donation.

‘I took a break of five years because I was not very well and I was told not to donate until I got better and then I restarted.’

The latest batch of Iain’s blood ended up at the Neonatal Unit based at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

Other grateful beneficiaries include the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Southend University Hospital.

‘It is very interesting the way it is done, but personally I would like to see people shown what happens to their blood,’ Iain said.

Once his one hundred and first donation is out of the way, which will be some time in June, Iain plans to stop for the foreseeable future.

‘My blood is special to me at this present time. I am not going to give anymore for a little while. I have said to myself that if I do feel well enough to carry on then I will carry on up until a year coming November, when I will be 70,’ Iain said.

‘I am happy with one hundred!’ he added.