TRANSPLANT patient Gerry Bourne is celebrating a hearty treble ten years after a life-saving operation.

Not only is Gerry (62), of Rollesby Close, Brandlesholme, Bury, celebrating the anniversary of his heart transplant at Wythenshawe Hospital's North West Transplant Centre but he has retired and will see his son graduate from university.

Now he is fighting a battle of a different kind which is to keep open the transplant centre which gave him his heart.

It was in 1991 Gerry underwent the transplant operation and was able to return fighting fit to work just four months later. He said: "Apart from the odd bit of 'maintenance' and some check ups, I've never really been off work since." Gerry retired as works manager at Bury textile company Thomas French, in Ainsworth Road, on Friday, (June 30), receiving gifts and cards from colleagues. He celebrates the transplant anniversary next Friday, (July13), the same day that son Simon (28) graduates with a first-class honours degree in business administration from Bolton Institute of Higher Education.

After a holiday in Portugal, Gerry plans to spend his retirement relaxing and enjoying time with his family, particularly 20-month-old grandson George.

"It's going to be a great celebration, this is a very special year for me," said Gerry.

"Ten years is a bit of a landmark and a hell of an achievement by Wythenshawe, they really did a lot of good work for me."

A staunch supporter of the unit, one of four to be threatened with closure as part of an NHS rationalisation programme, Gerry said: "They've got to keep it open, they shouldn't be closing any of the units.

"It's a tremendous place and what they do is fantastic. A lot of money has been spent on the centre and the idea of it closing is a nonsense."

Gerry added that the support he received from staff at Bury General before his transplant had been vital to the operation's success.

He said: "They kept me going and fit enough to have the transplant because I was pretty poorly before it."