A police support officer given a life-saving blood transfusion after being stabbed in the neck has persuaded 17 colleagues to become blood donors.

PCSO Gary Etchells, right, was injured at a housing eviction in Stalybridge last year.

The 47-year-old officer, from Glossop, had a severed artery in his neck and it took doctors more than two hours to stop the bleeding.

Without blood donors, he would have died - but he is now back on the beat.

Albert Williams, 63, who carried out the attack, has been convicted of wounding with intent and is awaiting sentence.

Gary said: "I received so much blood products when I was in hospital, I wanted to give something back."

For information on being ca blood donor, call 0845 7 711 711 or visit blood.co.uk
Tweet