A RECOVERED transplant patient is celebrating after winning a silver medal at an international athletics event.

Simon Harris, who underwent a heart transplant in 1996, represented Great Britain in the volleyball at the World Transplant Games in Ontario, Canada earlier this month.

But not content with his success, the 30-year-old from Michael Tippett Drive in Warndon, Worcester, is now preparing to travel to Loughborough on Thursday, August 25, for the British Transplant Games, where he will compete in the tennis and golf events. At club level Simon represents Wythenshawe - the Manchester hospital where his operation was carried out.

He was diagnosed with cardio-myopathy - a condition which makes the heart swell up - and the only solution was a transplant. Remarkably, just six months after, Simon was swimming again and playing cricket and football. It was while he was recovering that representatives from the Transplant Sports Association of Great Britain asked if he would be interested in joining up and he has now competed at several Transplant Games across the globe.

The events are designed to show that transplant patients can succeed as athletes.

"It shows that you can return to a normal life and it helps encourage people to increase the numbers on the national donor registration scheme," Simon said.

"I had a fantastic time in Canada but I'm now hoping to better my success in Loughborough in a couple of weeks."