A SCHOOLBOY has said a huge thank you to the stranger who stepped forward to save his brother's life.

Kind-hearted Harry Branthwaite offered to give bone marrow to his 16-month-old sibling Freddie after discovering he needed a transplant.

But Harry, aged 11, and the rest of his family were not a match so doctors turned to the Anthony Nolan register for help.

The Branthwaites, from Breightmet, were delighted when they recently learned a suitable donor had been identified and little Freddie is due to undergo his transplant at the Manchester Children's Hospital later this month.

Harry said: "Even though I don't know who you are or where you live, you have saved my brother. I cannot thank you enough. I hope to meet you one day and give you a big hug."

Little Freddie was recently diagnosed with the rare condition, severe aplastic anaemia, in which the body's bone marrow fails and stops producing new blood cells. He has been undergoing regular blood transfusions, but doctors advised his family that his best chance of a long term cure is a bone marrow transplant.

"Because of Freddie's age and the fact that he has no white blood cells, he is left very susceptible to infection, which is dangerous for him, so we needed a match very quickly," said his mum, Laura Branthwaite, aged 37.

The toddler was born eight weeks early and spent the first month of his life in the Royal Bolton Hospital.

But shortly after the family enjoyed their first holiday together Laura and husband Jason noticed Freddie was very pale and had tiny purple spots on his skin.

Tests in September confirmed he had a life threatening condition and the search began for a donor, with Harry keen to do his bit to help his little pal.

Mrs Branthwaite added: "Harry absolutely dotes on Freddie; he loves having a laugh, playing and giggling with him.

"When Freddie is having a tough time with treatment, Harry is the only one to make him smile.

"Harry was really keen to help his little brother and was so disappointed he wasn't a match.

"He really hoped someone else would step in and help Freddie. Thankfully they have - we're all so relieved."

Despite getting the good news about a donor for Freddie the family are keen to help others by encouraging more people to put their names on the Anthony Nolan register and Jason has signed up to take part in a 100 mile bike ride to raise cash for the charity

"You never know how important signing up to donate is until it happens to you or your family," said Mrs Branthwaite.

"Freddie is so young, he hasn't even started his life properly yet and yet a stranger might give him a future.

"It's such a weird feeling to know that someone who I've never met, never spoken to, could potentially save our son's life."

Ann O’Leary, head of register development at Anthony Nolan, said: "We are so pleased for Freddie and his family that, after going through so much, they have found their match. It’s so inspiring to see Harry, one of our youngest campaigners, spreading the word along with his parents about getting more people onto the register.

"To sign up, all you have to do is fill a simple online form and provide a saliva sample."

Anyone aged 16 to 30 and in good health can join the register by visiting www.anthonynolan.org and to sponsor Freddie's dad go to www.justgiving.com/Jason-Branthwaite.