A life-saving motorbike donated to the county's newest emergency service has been named after a stalwart volunteer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn.

The �15,000 'blood bike' has already been put to good use by members of SERV (Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers) Norfolk, who make speedy deliveries of vital materials such as blood and platelets out of working hours. It was paid for by the hospital's league of friends and has been named 'Barbara B' in honour of Barbara Bush, who managed the friends' shop for 15 years before her death, aged 80, in June.

An official blessing and naming ceremony attended by committee members, volunteers, west Norfolk mayor Colin Sampson and friends president Lady Coke was held at the QEH on Saturday.

Among the guests were Mrs Bush's family and husband Douglas, who said she would have been honoured by the occasion.

'She was a very proud lady who would not want to make too much of a fuss about all her hard work,' Mr Bush, of Setchey, added.

Mrs Bush began work at the hospital in the early 1950s, starting out in administration and eventually becoming supplies officer.

'She saved us many thousands of pounds when she took over the management of the shop with her negotiating skills,' friends chairman Pat Roome said.

'She knew all the firms to go to and could haggle. Barbara put in a lot of hard work and did a very good job. We were asked to give a name and it was unanimous.'

The BMW was blessed by SERV Norfolk's chaplain Rev Ian Byrne, from Bungay, who is a volunteer rider himself after joining in September.

County secretary David Parish said the bike had made four runs in the last week alone, with volunteers even working on Christmas day.

Barbara B regularly makes collections and deliveries in London and Cambridge, as well as travelling between the QEH, the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

SERV Norfolk, launched three months ago, has 50 volunteer riders and more in training.