MID Suffolk residents are being asked to consider organ donating.Council chairman Tony Fowler has joined a national initiative to increase the number of organ donations, and aims to appeal to more than 50,000 people in the district.

MID Suffolk residents are being asked to consider organ donating.

Council chairman Tony Fowler has joined a national initiative to increase the number of organ donations, and aims to appeal to more than 50,000 people in the district.

He said: "Over 300 patients waiting for transplants will die unnecessarily this year because the organ they need will not arrive in time."

The initiative aims to put a stop to the tragic loss of life, by asking members of the public to register their details with the council.

All details will be then added on the NHS organ donor register.

Mr Fowler added: "The response so far has been overwhelming, with over 15.3pc of the whole electorate signing up for organ donations, massively increasing the national total of organ donors according to United Kingdom Transplant Service Support Authority."

He also hopes people will sign up other members of their family and that, in perhaps as little as three years the donor organ shortage will no longer exist.

Potential donors can register by completing the coupon found in the council's bi-annual newsletter the Mid Suffolk Messenger, which will be distributed to homes from today.