A HUSBAND who donated a kidney to his sick wife to keep her alive was today hailed as "one in a million."

Anne Hodgson, who was struck down by kidney failure, was losing a race against time to find a suitable donor - until hubby Neil stepped in.

He underwent a vigorous round of tests to discover if his own kidney was a suitable match to his wife's.

Specialists at Manchester Royal Infirmary told the couple, of Tintern Close, Simonstone, that the chances of the kidney being a perfect match were a "million to one."

But doctors were left stunned as the couple defied the staggering odds.

Anne, 39, who has a history of kidney problems and had already had one removed several years ago, today spoke of her gratitude to the Manchester medics - and her 45-year-old husband.

"In 1995 my kidney problems began to get worse and they were deteriorating fast," she said.

"I had already had one kidney removed and I only had one left.

"I was told I would need dialysis with a view to a transplant. "But the waiting list for a donor was more than two-and-a-half years. Neil said he would test his own kidney although doctors told us not to get our hopes up.

"The odds were a million-to-one as we were not blood relatives.

"But the tests showed we had the same blood and tissue type."

After the kidneys were found to be compatible the couple had to undergo a long series of tests throughout 1996.

If they had failed any of them the transplant would not have taken place.

But, under the delicate hands of surgeon Dr Neil Parrott, the operation was a success.

"Neil was in hospital for four days and I was in for four weeks. There were a couple of rejections early on and I spent two weeks in isolation in hospital," said Anne.

"I am now on anti-rejection drugs but I feel great and am raring to go."

Neil, managing director of Cakeboards Ltd, Burnley, has now returned to work.

Anne, who works part-time in the office, has also returned to the workplace.

She said: "The staff at the hospital were a bit sceptical about things at first but then they really got behind us. Obviously I am very grateful to the doctors and my husband.

"I never asked him to do what he did, but I didn't have to."

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