An eight-year-old Bradford boy was today undergoing a liver transplant in a bid to beat a rare life-threatening illness.

The family of Kabeel Mazhar, of Frizinghall, received a call from Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, last night saying a liver was waiting for him.

He went into surgery shortly after 9am today for the operation which was due to last at least ten hours. He was then due to be taken to intensive care and is likely to remain in hospital for about six weeks.

His sister Romesa, now 12, underwent a transplant by the same surgeon at the hospital five years ago for a rare liver disease which effects just 40 people in the country and is fatal unless an organ swap is carried out.

Both children were born with cryptogenic cirrhosis which is taking an increasing toll on Kabeel's health, progressively preventing the liver breaking down chemicals in the blood.

Today their father Mazhar Hussain said: "We feel very nervous and it brings all the old memories back. It will be a very difficult and anxious time for us.

"We do feel he's in safe hands and he is quite well in himself.

"If everything does go well and he doesn't catch any infections, hopefully he will be recovered soon and back home with the rest of the family."

Kabeel, a pupil at St Walburga's Primary School, has been on the waiting list for a transplant at the internationally-renowned Camb-ridge hospital since June after his condition began to deteriorate.

His family last night received a bleeper which could have called him at any moment for the transplant in a 150-mile dash to the liver transplant centre.

Romesa's body rejected the first two organs she was given and doctors feared she would not pull through a third operation but it finally proved a success. The family have been told the operation has about a 70 per cent success rate.

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