More organ donors are needed

Newcastle City Council is one of the largest local authorities ever to take part in the Vote for Life scheme.

And more people in the city have signed up for the scheme than in any other part of the country, according to organisers UK Transplant.

The project asks people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) to tackle the backlog of transplant operations.

Registration forms from UK Transplant were sent out to the city's 200,000 homes, along with the electoral registration forms in August.

So far 13,000 completed forms have been returned to the council - most of them asking to register two people.

In July it was revealed that more than one million people in the North of England had registered as organ donors.

The number of people listed on the ODR in the region has doubled over the past five years.

'Fantastic response'

The response has been welcomed by patients and campaigners as fresh hope in combating the shortage of organs which is holding up transplant teams at Newcastle Hospitals.

Peter Sas, from UK Transplant, said: "This is a fantastic response by the citizens of Newcastle.

"It's thanks to the generosity of people joining the organ donor register that someone's life could be saved or greatly improved by transplant.

"Newcastle seems to be heading for a record return."

Vote for Life has encouraged 650,000 voters to pledge to help others after death since it started in 1999.

A spokesman for Newcastle City Council said: "We are delighted with the phenomenal response we have has to Vote for Life.

"It is brilliant to see so many of the people of Newcastle join the organ donor register giving the chance for someone else to live after their death and supporting such a worthwhile cause."