A retired couple have made a desperate appeal for a live liver donor after months of turmoil.

James Peake, of Pine Crescent, Oswaldtwistle, has been waiting more than a year for an organ donation.

James, 65, a retired wagon driver, suffered severe and irreparable liver damage after contracting septicaemia while in hospital in March last year.

A small procedure would be involved for any potential donor, where a small portion of the liver would be removed and transplanted – the organ would then repair itself after the operation.

James’ wife Sharon, 67, said the sense of urgency is greater as she fears her husband may soon be too ill for the treatment to succeed.

She said: “My husband is very poorly and he’s going downhill.

“He’s been on the transplant list for months and he’s no nearer to finding a donor. We just want to become normal people again.”

Retired office worker Sharon said there does not necessarily need to be a blood type match, so the pair are hoping a kind stranger may step forward.

She said: “I heard on the radio that someone donated a kidney to a complete stranger and I’m sure there are others out there.

“We feel so abandoned and we don’t know what to do, we just hope that someone can come forward.

“We’re only a small family and James has no family left at all. We have a grandson, who’s 17, but he’s too young to donate – I know he’s itching to do it, but he’s not allowed.”

Sharon says that the stress and worry is all-consuming, describing it as a ‘24/7 thing’.

Describing the process for potential donors, she said: “It’s simple, and only involves a short blood test. The donor has to be at least 18 years old, but there aren’t any restrictions on lifestyle, they’ll obviously do tests on the tissue and they’d be interviewed before any operation could go ahead.

“If we get a match, the operation will be done side by side at St James’ Hospital in Leeds.”

Sharon added that travel expenses for potential donors would be covered, if they needed to travel to the city.

Anyone who is interested in being a potential donor can contact Sharon on 07970 688408.