A Bradford man has had an aeroplane-style black box implanted in his chest in an innovative new treatment for a mystery illness.

Retired Building Society manager Colin Wilkinson, 65, of Chellow Dean, Bradford, has become one of the first people in the country to have the device fitted in an attempt to find out the cause of blackouts he has suffered for decades.

Every time Mr Wilkinson loses consciousness the device, which has been implanted above his rib cage, will pass vital information to a microchip he carries with him. The information will then be analysed by doctors to help find a cure for the condition believed to be related to an irregular heart rhythm.

Mr Wilkinson, said: "I think it's amazing what they can do these days.

"I suppose I'm being a guinea pig - but it will be worthwhile if it finds out why I blackout.

"To start with I feel a bit unwell and light-headed but once I go I can't remember anything about it. I have to rely on my wife to look after me and tell me what happened.

"They started a good while back but the doctors could never identify what was causing them. By the time I recover and get to hospital they can't tell what's happened to me.

"As I'm getting older they're becoming more frequent, I've had two in the last 18 months, so it's becoming a bit more urgent that they find out why they happen.

"I've had tests which have ruled out epilepsy but until now no-one in the medical profession has had the chance to work off some solid information. This offers the hope of a breakthrough.

"Hopefully if we can get a record of what's wrong the doctors will be able to work out a treatment."

The American-made device was implanted under local anaesthetic by consultant cardiologist Dr Chris Morley at the Yorkshire Clinic, in Bingley.

Dr Morley said that the medical industry had been waiting for this type of technological breakthrough for more than a decade.

He said: "It is a very new technology. This will give us valuable information from which we should be able to tell what is causing the problem and how we can tackle it."