FOUR local men whose lives were saved by transplant surgery will be among six people reunited to toast the anonymous donors who gave them the gift of life.

Walter Gill from Bolton; Ernie King from Lowton; Dennis Wright from Stubbins, near Ramsbottom, and Gerry Bourne from Bury, will commemorate their special anniversary with Margaret Barnes of Preston and Roy Houston from the Wirral.

Each were given their new start within a few weeks of one another at Wythenshawe Hospital five years ago.

Since then they have shared their common bond at an annual reunion. This year the group will meet at the Boholt Hotel and Country Club in Bury this Friday night.

Ann Stuart, the New Heart-New Start Appeal Manager, said: "Success stories such as these emphasise the continuing demand for donor organs.

"Without the generosity of donor families transplant operations would simply not be possible."

The appeal is currently setting its sights on its Mission 2000 fund raising targets - to raise money for operations over and above those funded by the Government and to develop a dedicated transplant research programme.

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