The National Blood Transfusion Service had hired a room at Knutsford Civic Centre.

But donor Charlotte Peters Rock said the two radiators were not good enough to heat the Cranford Suite.

"The nurses were struggling to find people's veins because they don't stand out as well when you are cold," she said.

"You could understand it if it was in the middle of a war zone, but we are not."

Extra heating was eventually brought in.

Yesterday (Tuesday), a spokesman said: "We did have some problems because of the cold, but it was as good as normal for Knutsford which is always busy."

Mrs Peters Rock, who lives in Allostock, was one of the 145 who donated a pint of blood.

"They urgently need blood, but the cold was off-putting," she said.

"It is appalling when you can't keep warm in a public building."

On Monday, civic centre manager Claire Robinson said the room was not ideally suited for the blood donors, but said the heating was working.

"It was switched on and there were no malfunctions," she said.

"It is a huge multi-purpose room and they are welcome to use what we have got, but we are not a medical facility."