WHEN it comes to offering up blood, students at Lancaster University go all out to deliver the goods.

Over the past year, the National Blood Service has challenged UK universities which run blood sessions to recruit as many new donors as possible.

And students at the Bailrigg university beat off competition from Leicester, Bath and Chester to claim the top spot.

Since 2001, students have donated 2,237 pints of blood at donor sessions at the university enough to treat patients at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary for four months.

And in the past year alone, students have rolled up their sleeves more than 1,000 times.

In return, they will receive a tasty treat this summer when the campus receives a visit from ice-cream company Ben and Jerry's to give out free ice cream as a thank you' for helping save thousands of lives.

The university will also receive a special plaque to thank it for supporting the initiative.

Almost five per cent of the university's 10,000 students are registered blood donors, whereas the average across the UK is two per cent of all students.

Rachel Roberts, of the National Blood Service, says: "We know students have extremely busy lives so it's brilliant they are taking the time to help others.

"Every day in the North West, patients need at least 1,500 units of blood, so the support of these young people is incredibly important to us. We hope they will make giving blood a habit."