THE FAMILY of Wesley Joyce were happy to have their hero home as he recovers from donating a kidney to a stranger.

Mr Joyce said he now hopes to work with prisoners and for a kidney charity as he continues to recover from Friday's operation at his home in Mill Street, Diglis.

The 33-year-old wants to help people turn their lives around once they have left prison as well as talk about the importance of organ donation at prison, schools and for community groups.

At the moment, life is a whirlwind for Mr Joyce after being thrust into the spotlight for generously giving his kidney to mother-of-two Sally-Anne Grainger who appealed for a donor in your Worcester News.

The pair have featured on television, newspapers and websites across the world and he is hoping to put the attention to good use by highlighting the need for people to sign up to the organ donor register.

Mr Joyce, nicknamed "Wes Almighty" by Miss Grainger, said: "It was amazing and I'm feeling great.

"It's been so nice to be here at home and relax and have my wife Jill and best friend Garrie looking after me.

"Without their support I wouldn't have been able to do it.

"I'm feeling well and we went to see Sally-Anne this morning and she looks fantastic.

"People don't realise that without the story appearing in the Worcester News then none of this would have happened - I wouldn't have read it and Sally-Anne wouldn't have received a kidney so quickly.

"This is a great start to my future and if I can stop one person going back into prison then that would be a great result for me.

"When I came out of prison on August 16, 2006, I vowed to turn my life around and I had great support from my family and friends.

"But some people don't have that and I want to show them that you can turn your life around and don't have to return to prison."

While he recovers, his wife Jill, best friend Garrie Webster and children Leyton, 15, Leonie, nine, and Jai-Jai, six, have been caring for him.

Leonie made a special card for her dad while son Jai-Jai called him his "hero".

Coincidentally, his eldest son goes to Nunnery Wood High School with Miss Grainger's oldest daughter Kelsey.

Wife Jill explained her husband had not told her he emailed your Worcester News to offer his kidney but casually dropped it into conversation later.

"At first it didn't affect me that much but as he began having tests it became more and more real and, of course, you worry for him.

"He's been absolutely amazing and it didn't surprise me that he went through with it.

"A lot of people will be shocked and probably didn't expect to see him in the paper for something good but if they have had their feathers ruffled by him in the past they have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"He has turned his life around and wants to do something positive.

"And I expect we will all be friends will Sally-Anne and her family forever."

Miss Grainger is still at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham and is expected to return home to Warndon Villages next Friday.