SWINDON Council will offer people the chance to put themselves forward as an organ donor.

It is including donor information with every copy of electoral registration forms being distributed to households in the town.

The initiative was organised after UK Transplant chief executive Sue Sutherland wrote to the council asking for it to help boost the numbers of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

There are currently more than 5,500 people in the UK waiting for a transplant that could save or transform their lives but only about 2,700 transplants are carried out each year. Many more people could be helped if more organs were donated.

Last year alone nearly 400 people died while waiting for a kidney, heart, liver or lung to be donated. One in 10 people waiting for a heart transplant will die and many others will lose their lives before they even get on to the waiting list.

Mrs Sutherland continued: "If every council was to adopt the scheme it could add millions of names to the register and send out a huge message of support to the thousands of people whose lives depend on the generosity of others."

Council leader, Coun Sue Bates said: "I am pleased that Swindon Council has the opportunity to raise the profile of the NHS Organ Donor Register.

"Research indicates that you are more likely to need a transplant in your lifetime than become a donor and I hope people in Swindon will give signing up to the register some serious thought."