Pudsey postal office manager John Filin went back to the hospital where his life was saved to help launch a set of stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NHS.

Plasma donations helped Mr Filin recover after he contracted Guillian Barrie Syndrome which, in years gone by, would have proved fatal.

The virus completely paralysed Mr Filin, who was 38, and he had to be rushed into Leeds General Infirmary's intensive care ward for emergency treatment.

It took six months of treatment - including three months in intensive care - and extensive physiotherapy before Mr Filin, 49, could return to light work with the Royal Mail.

Traditionally sufferers, who include Catch 22 author Joseph Heller, were treated with steroids but death was often unavoidable as the muscles which control the patient's lungs stop working, leading to suffocation.

But new techniques meant Mr Filin's blood plasma could be repeatedly replaced to swill out infected blood cells.

Mr Kilin, 49, was at LGI's Jubilee building yesterday to thank the hospital for saving his life and to launch a set of stamps celebrating the NHS anniversary.

He said: "I was fighting fit and used to go running a lot when I was struck down by this virus.

"Then suddenly I was completely paralysed from the head downwards. That's what the virus does: it attacks every one of your nerve endings. I was helpless.

"About every three days for a fortnight I had plasma transfusions to swill out the bad blood cells. I must have had 50 pints."

Doctors warned him that although he would get better he could expect to have walking difficulties.

"But the transfusions helped me so much that I'm playing squash, running, and back to a normal life," said Mr Filin, who lives in Glenlea Close, Pudsey.

He was joined at LGI by other posties, from Leeds and Harrogate who have donated blood, to deliver chocolate boxes to patients and to hand over a £300 cheque for the LGI's Community Chest Appeal.

The appeal aims to raise cash for specialist hospital equipment such as scanners to help patients from throughout Yorkshire suffering from head injuries.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.