It was a treble celebration for kidney transplant survivor Shelia Dixon on the 21st anniversary of her lifesaving operation.

The 52-year-old enjoyed half a lager, her favourite tipple, with her twin Sandra Birkenshaw, pictured right, and their younger sister Kathleen Butterfield, left, in their local, the ILP club in East Bowling.

More than two decades ago Sandra and Kathleen, 47, both donated a kidney to allow their sick sister to lead a normal life.

But while their sacrifice left the sisters with one kidney each, Shelia now has three.

The mum-of-one, who lives in Peach Walk, West Bowling, said: "They always said I was greedy having three kidneys.

"When I fell ill Sandra volunteered her kidney first. I was upset when my body rejected it because it was a perfect match. We had to wait two years before I was well enough for a second transplant operation.

"The doctors attached it near my stomach and left the other two where they were. In fact the surgeons told us that the operations to remove my sister's kidney were actually more dangerous!

"It's meant the world to me. If I hadn't had the kidney transplant I don't think I would have seen my two grandchildren Hannah, who is three, and Jack, who is 19 months old. I can go on holiday and live a relatively normal life which I couldn't do before the operation."

Sheila was restricted to life on a kidney machine when tests taken after the birth of her only child Graeme in 1971 revealed that her kidneys were not working properly.

Her family, which included seven sisters and eight brothers, rallied round and her twin sister Sandra and then Kathleen, each donated a kidney. Their selfless gestures made local and national headlines in 1980.

They also allowed Shelia to live a relatively normal life, although she still has to swallow a cocktail of 28 different pills a day to ensure the organ is not rejected.

Her husband Geoff, 54, an engineer, said: "I just feel immensely grateful to Sandra and Kathleen for the incredible sacrifice.

"They showed such courage. Before the operation Sheila had to spend three days a week on dialysis which completely restricted everything we could do."