A HEALTHY father-of-three is to donate a kidney to save a complete stranger's life.

Steven Norrie, 36, has agreed to undergo major surgery to remove the organ despite knowing he will never be told who the recipient is.

Steven, who is dad to Caleb, 6, Laughlin, 10, and Maisie, 12, said: “The only thing I will get out of it, apart from a big scar and a lot of pain, is that warm, fuzzy feeling inside that I've done something good.”

His mum said she was “so proud” of her son and Dr Tom Smith, the Lancashire Telegraph's health expert, said it was the first time he had heard of such a selfless act.

Steven decided to take the step after reading about the unusual practice in a national newspaper.

He said his only motivation was to carry out an 'altruistic act' of kindness.

Last year in the UK, just 40 people made an organ donation to someone who was not a family member or friend.

Steven said: “The only reason I'm doing this is because it's altruistic.

"I'm not particularly spiritual or religious.

“It's a non-directed donation. You don't know who will get it, whereas the majority go to a friend, or relative or sibling.

"This goes to just whoever needs it.

“A thousand people die a year waiting for organs – that's three people a day.

“People say 'it's the thought that counts' but sometimes that thought itself is not enough.

"This is going to make a genuine difference.”

Steven, from Altham West, Accrington, had to undergo ECG, MRI and ultrasound scans, blood testing and even a psychological interview before it was agreed he could make the donation.

Steven, who works as an operations controller for First Rail Support in Simonstone, said: “It's taken 10 months to get it approved and it's a pretty intensive process.

“For a lot of people there isn't an obvious motivation for putting yourself through major surgery so you need a psychological interview to check you will be okay.

“You can fail the process at any time and it's been far more intensive and emotional than I thought it would be.

“But if you get this far that should be taken as a good sign.”

Steven's mum, Dale Norrie, 59, admitted she was worried about her son’s health but said she was 'very proud'.

She said: “This will give somebody their life back.

“I think it's the bravest, most selfless thing anybody could do.

“It's a remarkable thing and I'm so proud of him.”

Following the surgery Steven will have 12 weeks off work to recover.

During that time his employers will pay half of his wages and the NHS the remaining amount.

He said: “First Rail Support have been very good because without their support I couldn't have taken three months off.

“If everything goes to plan I'm having open surgery, which is the 'smash and grab' type.

"It should only taken a couple of hours.

“They make a 10-inch cut in the side of me and take out the kidney.”

“There is a chance of complications or damage to the organ but it's very small.”

He said he was not worried that his health would suffer with only one kidney.

“There is a percentage of the population who only have one kidney and you only actually need one kidney to get by,” he said.

“I don't drink, I don't smoke, there is nothing wrong with me physically and I've got a very understanding employer and ex-wife, Donna.

“It's very cost effective for the NHS because it costs about £50,000 a year for a patient on a dialysis machine and the cost of the operation is around £17,500, plus a few thousand pounds for medication.

“It's hopeful that the kidney I donate could last anywhere between five years and 25 years.”

Shahid Ullah, control manager at First Rail Support, described Steven as “well liked, fun to be around and hard-working” and said the firm was happy to support his efforts.

He said: “It's quite a brave thing to do.

"I don't think I would put myself forward to do it without a really good reason but Steve is like that - he's run marathons in the past to raise money for good causes and help other people.

"He's just that type of bloke.”

According to NHS statistics there are currently 10,000 people on the waiting list, the vast majority awaiting a kidney.