FORMER labourer Jim Choularton is building a brighter future thanks to a life-saving heart transplant operation just eight weeks ago.

And as a thank-you to dedicated medical staff at Wythenshawe Hospital transplant centre he is backing the threatened hospital's SOS campaign to prevent its closure.

The grandfather-of-two said he owed his life to Wythenshawe and condemned the news of its potential closure as "ridiculous".

Under a rationalisation plan for transplant services in the UK, health ministers want to reduce the number of dedicated centres from the current six to four.

Three at Harefield, Papworth and Newcastle have already been secured, leaving Wythenshawe, Birmingham and Sheffield battling it out for survival.

A decision on the Manchester centre's future has been delayed until the autumn but the Sink-Or-Swim campaign is still going strong. Jim (51), of Langley Hall Road in Prestwich, was ill for three and a half years before going on the waiting list for a heart transplant.

He said: "Two years ago I had a heart attack and ended up in Crumpsall Hospital and three times I was sent to Bury General Hospital with fluid on my lungs."

"I was advised to give up my job as a driving labourer for a construction firm in Liverpool and I was not enjoying myself to say the least."

Eventually Jim's illness took its toll and his left ventricle failed causing him to suffer a leaking valve.

He was on the waiting list at Wythenshawe for just two weeks when he received an important call to have the operation on February 9.

Jim, who is married to Sylvia, and has two children, Dean (23) and Tina (30), said: "I was in intensive care for a week and during my recovery period the care I received was absolutely fantastic. Everyone was so kind - and the food was quite good too!"

He added: "Without a transplant I simply would not be here. Prior to the operation I was getting quite depressed and couldn't even climb the stairs. Now I feel like doing everything, I am a different fellow. I am not back to full fitness but I am getting there."

"I was totally disgusted to hear of the news. It is ludicrous.

"The politicians shouldn't be dabbling in the medical game. They should stick to what they know best."