A BOLTON health worker has been arrested after shocked staff discovered damaged packets blood donated by the public.

The 27-year-old man, who works for NHS Blood & Transplant, was swooped on by police after a three-month police investigation.

A probe was launched in June when police received allegations that donated blood packets had been “tampered” with.

The employee works for the mobile donor team covering the east of Manchester.

About 200 vital blood supplies due to be sent to help sick hospital patients were later found to be unusable by shocked medics.

The damage was done during 17 different public donor sessions between March 2013 and June this year.

Blood donation bosses carried out their own internal investigation before reporting the alleged offences to the police.

NHS Blood and Transplant insist all damaged packs were spotted before they were taken to any hospitals.

The man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage on September 26 and has since been bailed until December.

He has been suspended by NHS Blood and Transport.

A spokesman for the organisation said: “The important thing to stress is that the safety of patients and donors has not been put at risk.

“The damaged blood packets were spotted and never made into the supply chain.

“The police are now dealing with matter and we are co-operating with their investigation.”

The mobile team worked from the Manchester Donor Centre in Plymouth Grove, Ardwick.

Sessions in the east of Manchester are now up and running again.

A police spokesman said: “Police received a report that a number of blood packs had been tampered with in the east Manchester area.

“It is has been established that a number of packs were deliberately damaged in 17 donor sessions that were held between June this year and March 2013.

“A 27-year-old man from Bolton has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and has been bailed pending further enquiries.

“Greater Manchester Police is working closely with NHS Blood and Transplant on this investigation.

“At this stage there is no evidence that anyone has come to any harm.”