A desperate search is on for donors who match the rare blood type of a  64-year-old man with a life-threatening arterial disease.

Nurse Daniele Elphick made the appeal this morning from St George's Hospital in Tooting, where her father Peter Psaila is recovering from a leg amputation.

Mr Psaila, of Kenley, Croydon, has peripheral vascular disease which blocks the blood flow to his legs.

It is a common disease, but he has a rare blood type and doctors have launched an international search to find people with the same antibodies in their blood in case he relapses and requires another operation.

Mr Psaila has suffered from the disease for nearly 15 years but his illness became critical this month and on Monday doctors at St George's made the decision to amputate his leg after two units of matching blood suddenly became available in France.

He is recovering well and has had messages of support from as far away as Malta and the United States, but his daughter is appealing for more people to donate in case he needs more blood for a future operation.

Mrs Elphick, 31, of Purley, said: "You never would imagine that the blood banks would run out of what you need for your special person.

"My dad's journey is not over but he now has the best chances for survival now.

"It's really important for people who have never donated to donate as you might just have the key to someone else's survival and you never know when you yourself might be in the same situation and need blood for yourself."

To donate, visit blood.co.uk to register and find out where you can make a donation.