BILL Clark knows a simple infection could kill him unless he receives the new lungs he desperately needs.

Mr Clark, aged 63, made the agonising decision 30 years ago to donate the kidneys of his five-year-old daughter, Gail, to the organ donor register. He never thought he would be on the other side of the transplant waiting list.

But after becoming seriously ill with lung fibrosis four years ago, he is now hooked up to oxygen 24 hours a day and his only hope of survival is a transplant Mr Clark, of Duchy Avenue in Over Hulton, said: "It was very rare for people to donate organs when Gail died but we were asked and we did feel better that she hadn't died in vain.

"I've been on the transplant waiting list for four months and this is doubly frustrating after everything we've already been through. Thirty years ago I never thought I would be in this position and I hate the thought that I have to wait for someone to die for me to live."

Mr Clark's daughter Gail suffered a massive brain haemorrhage during a swimming trip to Walkden baths with her mother, Barbara, in 1976.

She was rushed to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where her parents made the heartbreaking decision to switch off her life support machine when she was declared brain dead. It was then they decided to donate her kidneys.

Mr Clark, who was forced to retire from his job in building maintenance at Bury Primary Care Trust last year, first became ill in 2004 when he began suffering from breathing difficulties.

But it was while on a cruise on the Queen Mary in 2006 that he became seriously ill.

He became bed-bound and was treated by medical staff on board until he was well enough to be returned to the UK, where he remained in a critical condition for six weeks.

Since then the grandfather-of -two has been hooked up to oxygen 24 hours a day and has given up many of the activities he enjoys, including his season ticket at Bolton Wanderers. Mr Clark said: "My wife and I used to love walking, which I can't do now, I can't play golf, or have a kick about with my grandson's. I would appeal to anyone who hasn't already to sign up to the organ donor register because they could save lives."

In Bolton there are currently 79 people on the transplant waiting list, 67 people are waiting for new kidneys, one for a pancreas, four for kidneys and a pancreas, six people for new lungs and one for a new heart and lungs.

There are currently 80,585 people in Bolton signed up to the organ donor register.

Noel Davies, UK Transplant Media and PR officer, said: "Sadly Bill is not alone in needing a transplant. There is a desperate shortage of donors in the UK, yet we know this doesn't have to be the case. Research shows that 90 per cent of people support organ donation, but many just haven't got round to acting on their good intentions and joining the register."