Liver-swap boy Kabeel Mahzar is back home - just a month after a life saving operation.

Now all the brave eight-year-old wants for Christmas is a bike so he can ride beside his younger brother and two older sisters.

Kabeel, who lives in Shipley, was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge after his parents were told a new liver was waiting for him.

Like his older sister, Romese, now 13, he was suffering from the rare liver disease cryptogenic cirrhosis, which is fatal unless an organ-swap is carried out.

After a gruelling nine hour operation the St Walburgas RC Primary School pupil spent three days in intensive care. Despite initial fears his new liver was being rejected he was allowed home only a month later.

His mother, Parveen Mahzar, 33, who stayed in the hospital throughout her son's ordeal, said: "I was so worried because I've already been through this once with my daughter.

"She was in hospital for a year and the doctors had to do three transplant operations before they were successful. Kabeel has been much quicker and the doctors were very happy with his recovery because it was so quick.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he'll be okay. When he was in hospital he got so bored with his physiotherapy that he said he wanted a bike for Christmas.

"Hopefully that is what he'll get. His little brother, Shoaib, who's only two, loves him so much that he's barely been to bed since Kabeel got back from hospital. He's so excited to have him back."

Parveen and her husband, Mahzar Hussain, must still take Kabeel to St Luke's Hospital for a blood test and check-up every week.

It will be three months before the danger of rejection is over.

Mr Hussain said: "The doctors down at Addenbrooke will be monitoring his condition closely and if there are any hiccups they will bring him straight back."

An Addenbrooke's Hospital spokesman said: "Normally we don't discuss individual cases but I think this has been a quick recovery for a liver transplant patient. Normally the recovery period for this sort of operation can be anything from two weeks up to four months."

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