A mother has enabled her son to come off four years of dialysis by donating to him one of her kidneys.

Barbara Sutcliffe, 55, did not hesitate to put herself forward when doctors were looking for a suitable kidney donor for 26-year-old Neil.

Mother and son are now recovering at home in Westfield Drive, Lightcliffe, after the operations at St James's Hospital, Leeds, two weeks ago.

Both of Neil's kidneys failed four years ago and he has been on dialysis ever since. Family members, including his aunt, father and mother all took blood tests and his mother Barbara - who used to run the Ridings Restaurant in Halifax Road, Buttershaw, Bradford - was found to be a match.

"I was nervous and scared, but very excited when they told me the operation could go ahead," said Neil. "Mum went into theatre at 3pm and I went in at 4pm and we were both out by 10pm. It took a bit longer than normal, because mum has back problems."

The operations went without a hitch and both were allowed home soon afterwards.

"I have a completely new lease of life now and feel so healthy," said Neil. "I will have to have three or four months off work, but I have so much more freedom than before."

Neil was connected to a dialysis machine for nine hours a night, seven days a week.

"If I went out, I couldn't stay out and would always have to come home," said Neil, a self-employed sales manager for an insurance company. "I didn't go on holiday because I always felt restricted by the machine.

"It was a massive thing for my mum to donate one of her kidneys to me, but from day one she wanted to do it. What she has done is amazing."

Neil is now planning a holiday to Scotland with his girlfriend.