NEARLY 20,000 life savers are needed across Scotland as supplies of blood dwindle to crisis levels.

Today transfusion bosses made an urgent appeal for new donors to come forward.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service revealed it has just three days worth of supplies for some blood groups instead of the recommended six.

One person who knows the importance of blood donations is teenager Rebecca Smith, 16.

She needed blood and plasma after being hit by a car in March.

Rebecca, who helped launch the appeal today, had two major operations after the accident which left her with one leg broken and the other dislocated.

Rebecca, from Dalkeith said: "I received eight units of blood and six units of plasma. I'm recovering well and looking forward to going back to school in September. I'd like to say thank-you to all the blood donors who were then when I needed them."

Stocks have been dropping since the Easter holidays as people start to take summer breaks and let blood donation drop off their list of things to do.

Scotland has 178,000 regular donors but needs at least another 18,000 to come forward.

In Glasgow and West of Scotland, there are 78,911 active donors but the service needs around 8000 more.

Dr Moira Carter, national donor services manager, said: "Supplies are very depleted at the moment. We would normally aim for about six days' supply for all blood groups in our central stock and a lot of our blood groups have only got three days worth of blood left."

She is particularly worried about group O Positive of which there is now less then three days supply. O Positive donors think their blood is not needed as it's the most common group but in fact it's more in demand - because more patients need it.

Dr Carter said: "What we'd say to somebody who has never given blood is we hope it won't be your friend or family needing blood, but you would expect blood to be there if they needed it.

"Don't leave it to somebody else. It really is you we are talking to, so act now." To register as a blood donor call 0845 90 90 999, visit www.scotblood.co.uk or visit the centre at 8 Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow.