A student has spoken of how vital donating blood really is after discovering her blood was blue-lighted to Manchester hours after last year’s terror attack.

Beth Johnson, 18, is a travel and tourism student at the University of Huddersfield and she’d donated her O negative blood days before the attack, a year ago tonight (Tues).

She since discovered it was blue lighted to Central Manchester Foundation Trust on the night of the Manchester terror attack, where 22 people were tragically killed and more than 800 others injured at the Ariana Grande concert.

And while there is no certainty of knowing who got her blood, she said discovering where it went made her more determined to continue donating blood, saying all donors really are life-savers.

Beth Johnson, Huddersfield University student

Beth, originally from Manchester, said: “I became a blood donor because many people in my family have always given blood and my uncle has had many operations which has required him needing blood.

“Also, I am O negative and know how rare and valuable this blood type is for the NHS.

“I started donating when I was 16 and actually I’ve struggled a few times, but I don’t mind needles and it’s never put me off.

“Knowing how my blood may have been used makes me more determined to donate blood, it shows how vital it is.

“I look at what potentially happened, that my blood may have helped save the life of someone caught up in the bombing, and it makes proud to try so I’d urge anyone to give blood if they can, you never know how it will save someone’s life.”

On the night of the attack in 2017, NHS Blood and Transplant made 21 deliveries of blood to hospitals in Manchester including 15 ‘blue light’ emergency deliveries, delivering 346 units of red blood cells.

While the NHS Blood and Transplant don’t know exactly how the blood was used, there was an exceptionally high level of emergency demand and many of those precious donations would have been transfused into attack victims.

They said: “O negative blood is especially important in emergencies because it can be given to anyone when time is short and you don’t have time to test for blood groups.”

Beth has given blood four times so far and vowed to continue.

To donate visit www.blood.co.uk .