A MAN who is being kept alive by blood transfusions yesterday appealed for more donors to come forward to boost dwindling stocks.

Willie Mack, 35, has a rare blood disorder and was given his first transfusion when he was just a couple of hours old.

The civil servant, from Craiglockhart, Edinburgh, has the inherited condition Blackfan Diamond Anaemia, which means his body can't produce the red blood cells that carry oxygen and needs three pints of blood every three weeks to stay alive.

He has now launched a Christmas campaign to encourage more Scots to give blood to prevent stocks falling to dangerously low levels.

He said: "These trans-fusions give me energy and help me feel normal again. Without blood donors, I simply would not have survived. They saved my life."

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service warns that the festive season creates a donor deficit because people are busy with shopping, parties and other celebrations.

In 2007, donations dropped by 25% over Christmas and New Year and the service fears donations could drop even further this year.

Dr Moira Carter, national donor services manager, said: "We anticipate blood supplies could fall dramatically.

"We may lose up to 6000 donations over the Christmas and New Year period, which is half of Scotland's blood supply.

"Platelets, which have a shelf life of only five days, face a similar shortage. It is essential donors come forward for Scotland's patients this Christmas."

To help meet demand this Christmas, the blood transfusion service has written to 5000 donors asking them to give blood during December.

To register as a blood donor or to find out where your nearest donation session is, call 0845 90 90 999, text "blood" to 61611, or visit www.scotblood.co.uk