SCOTS are most likely to donate their stem cells than residents of most other regions of the UK.

Blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan has mapped its bone marrow register for the first time, showing the proportion of people in each region who are signed up to the bone marrow register.

More than 47,000 people, representing 0.89 per cent of the population, from north of the Border are now signed up to help find lifesaving matches for people with blood cancer who desperately need a stem cell, or bone marrow, transplant.

Overall there are 530,000 people registered.

Ann O'Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, said: "Donating stem cells to save the life of a stranger is a remarkably selfless act so it's great to see so many people from Scotland coming together and signing up to our register.

"Two thirds of patients will not find a matching donor from within their families; instead they turn to Anthony Nolan to find them an unrelated donor.

"Even though Scotland has the third highest proportion of donors of any region, it's still less than one per cent of the overall population of the region, which shows us that we urgently need to recruit donors from all over the UK so we can give people with blood cancer the best possible hope of a cure."

About 0.97 per cent of the UK capital have signed up. In the East Midlands, 0.91 per cent of the population have done so. The lowest rates are in the West Midlands and the south west of England, where just 0.66 per cent and 0.65 per cent of people respectively are helping out.