Having been a donor since 1974, John Plowman was interested to read last Saturday's Weekend article about giving blood.

But he was "puzzled" by the presentation of a decanter to Mark Allwright, from Worthing, for having given 200 pints.

Mr Plowman, from Woodingdean, explains: "The minimum time between donations is 16 weeks, giving a yearly average of three-and-a-quarter donations.

By dividing Mr Allwright's number of donations by three-and-a-quarter you get 61-and-a-half years. Then add on 16 years because that is the minimum age you can become a donor and you get 77-and-a-half years.

"Now, even with my dodgy eyesight, I could see Mr Allwright was wearing very well for his age. I have managed only 71 donations since I started 29 years ago and have only missed one or two, so I suspect the figures for blood donations and those for donations of platelet, or some other blood constituent which can be given more regularly, have been confused.

"My understanding is a decanter is given for 75 donations. Perhaps somebody knows different?"

Well, not the National Blood Transfusion Service, who supplied the information, although we should have checked it. It was wrong and you are right, Mr Plowman. Thank you.

Alec Batchelor lives in Durrington, Wiltshire, while his mother lives - funnily enough - in Durrington, near Worthing, and so was able to send him a copy of our coverage of the fire on the Palace Pier in Brighton last Wednesday.

Alec noticed that our look at the history of other Sussex piers excluded Bognor's. "Is it not in Sussex?" he asks. Of course it is and I apologise, Alec and Bognor, for the omission.

Ian Ross points out that our story last Thursday about Brighton and Hove Albion being given permission for another 2,000 seats at Withdean stadium in Brighton should have said this would be for next season and not next year.

Thanks.

Zoe Weller, of the Brighton and Hove Federation of Disabled People, says there were a number of errors in our story of January 31 about the group's £111,000 National Lottery grant over three years.

It said the money would be used on a welfare advice service, which advises disabled people on how money should be spent on their care. In fact, says Zoe, this scheme is called the Direct Payments Advice Service but the money will be used to employ a welfare benefits advisor, who will be based in Hove Manor, Hove Street, along with the Disability Advice Centre, and not in Rutland Gardens (an admin office), as we said. Also, the federation is no longer running alternative therapies since funding for that has run out. For more advice on the direct payments service, contact Bernie Reilly on 01273 776378.

Our story on Tuesday about the effect on council tax in Sussex of the Government's cash settlement with councils revealed Crawley Borough Council would be better off. However, as Roy Marchant, from Southwick, points out, this was in recognition of the area's social deprivation and not, as we said, depravation!

Apologies to readers like Mr B Moseley, from Brighton, who complains that token three for our Majorca holiday competition published on Saturday said Turkey by mistake. Sorry, and don't worry, we will accept the first two of the three tokens as an entry.

Still with holidays and Robin Turtle, from Shoreham, says the page of The Argus reader holidays on Thursday last week included a Devon steam which was wrongly illustrated by a picture of an Isle of Man electric railway car.

Well spotted, sir.

And finally, I'm in the doghouse myself after referring last week to Libby Hubbard's missing dog as Bertie. In fact, that's her son's name and the dog is Zulu. I have already apologised to Libby who kindly responded: "Couldn't matter less. Thanks."