A Furness campaigner for LGBT rights has welcomed the relaxation of rules which prevented some gay and bisexual men donating blood.

Men who have sex with men in a long-term relationship will be able to give blood from next summer, NHS Blood and Transplant said.

Under previous rules, men had to abstain from sex with men for three months to donate.

Changes will be made to the donor health check questionnaire, introducing new behaviour-based deferrals to assess potential donors against high-risk sexual behaviour such as having multiple partners or taking part in "chemsex."

The biggest change to the rules mean anyone who has the same sexual partner for more than three months will be eligible to donate if there is no known exposure to a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or if there has been use of anti-HIV drugs PreP or PEP, said NHSBT.

Lee Wicks, the chairman of Friends and Supporters of the Furness LGBT Community, welcomed the rule change, saying the move would save lives and stop gay and bisexual men from feeling like "pariahs."

He said: "This is good news and not before time.

"I welcome a total removal of the ban.

"I can’t believe it’s taken this long, but thanks to campaigners we are achieving the beginning of another act of equality.

"It is after all a homophobic ban, as straight people were not questioned or banned if they had promiscuous unprotected sex, but gay and bi men were questioned even if they were in a monogamous safe relationship.

"The only criteria should be the safety of your sexual activity, not sexual orientation, so recipients of blood donation are kept safe.

"Now, men who have sex with men who want to make a lifesaving contribution to society will be able to do so, and no longer made to feel like pariahs.

"It pains me to think of how many lives were possibly lost because of this policy.

"By lifting this ban, it has the potential to save thousands of more lives, which can only be a good thing."