Scots are being urged to donate blood next year as experts warn big events will see donor numbers drop.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service predicts that events such as the Olympics and the Queen’s diamond jubilee could see fewer people taking the time to donate.

This year, the number of donors dropped by thousands as a result of the extra bank holidays for the Royal wedding.

Every minute someone in Scotland receives a blood transfusion and it takes 5000 donors a week to keep the service running.

National Donor Services Manager Moira Carter said: "In 2012 there are extra bank holidays for the Queen’s diamond jubilee and we have got the Olympics at the end of the summer.

"Both these events mean people will be very distracted and can forget to give blood. The real solution is to have more donors available to us and we need more donors coming on board so we can make sure that we will always have enough blood for patients in Scotland."