A WORCESTER war veteran has clocked up a half century of pint deliveries.

Antony Ashcroft has been drained of his 50th pint of blood at a donor session in the Pump Street Methodist Church Hall.

He gave his first donation as a young airman, when the reward was a day off.

Now, at the age of 65, he has been rewarded with a Gold Badge from the National Blood Donor Service.

"I gave blood for the first time when I joined the RAF in 1953," said Mr Ashcroft, of Rainthorpe Avenue, St Peter's.

"There was no shortage of donors then because of conscription.

"During the first week our drill sergeant said to us 'right my lucky lads, today everyone is going to volunteer to give blood'.

"In those days you had to be 18 to give blood, so being 17 I thought 'he won't get me'.

"So when he shouted 'anyone who has a reason why he shouldn't give take one step forward', I smartly did so.

"He said 'what's up with you lad, are you pregnant?' I said 'no sarge, I'm only 17', whereupon he said 'don't worry lad, I won't tell anyone'."

The alternative to giving blood was kitchen chores.

"In those days we were told we could only give blood twice a year as the body needed six months to replenish iron supplies," he added.

After three years in the RAF Mr Ashcroft started work at the Post Office, but with a family to support he could not find time to donate blood.

He started donating again in 1970 and has been giving blood at least once a year ever since.

"I'd urge everyone to give blood," Mr Ashcroft said.

"It's a shame people aren't conscripted because then there wouldn't be any short supplies.

"There's a bigger population and less people donating.

'' I don't know how the health service survives."