A TEAM of volunteer bike riders and drivers who help keep the region's emergency blood supplies flowing were in Grays over the weekend to raise their profile and try and collect some cash for their service.

Members of Essex Blood Runners, who ride bikes and drive cars, were at the Morrisons store in the town centre to highlight the work of an organisation that delivers blood and other urgent products to and from hospitals across Essex and East London.,

The group are all unpaid volunteers and link up many hospitals acroos the region, including Basildon and Thurrock Hospital.

To join the group as a driver or rider you need to have held a full licence for two or more years and own your own vehicle.

The commitment is to work a minimum of three nights a month for the group that works closely with hospitals, East of England Ambulance Service and the Essex and Herts air Ambulance.,