HUNDREDS of people across the region remain in dire need of life-saving organ transplants despite the number of operations running at record levels.

Figures obtained by The Northern Echo show that 291 patients in the North-East and North Yorkshire are waiting for new organs.

The majority require kidneys, although heart, lung and liver transplants are also needed.

According to UK Transplant, which manages the NHS organ donation register, the number of people on waiting lists for organs is continuing to rise. At the same time, the number of operations taking place also continues to increase to record levels.

To coincide with the start of a new year, an appeal has been launched by UK Transplant for more donors to join the register.

From the period beginning last April, 138 patients in the North-East and North Yorkshire have received organ transplant operations.

A further 78 have received cornea transplants to restore their sight.

The 2004-5 figure for organ transplants could eventually top the 2003-4 figure of 185, which was up on the previous year's figure of 165.

Maxine Walter, a spokeswoman for NHS UK Transplant, said that with many people making resolutions at the start of a new year, the time was right to resolve to save a life by joining the donor register.

She said: "We still urgently need more people to think about organ donation, talk to their families and join the register.

"People see their lives transformed by organ transplants, and they are now so successful that more people can see the benefits from them.

"At the same time, the population is getting older as people live longer, so generally waiting lists are increasing across the country."

Neil Wrightson, a transplant co-ordinator at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, a major centre for organ transplant operations, said the rate of organ donation in the North-East was higher than anywhere else in the country.

In the North-East and North Yorkshire, there are just under 600,000 people on the donor register.

Mr Wrightson said: "We always need new donors. Last year we carried out 83 heart and lung transplants - a record number.

"This financial year, we are up to 54 so far. We keep our fingers crossed that the phone could ring at any time and we've got a donor match."

* The NHS Organ Donor Line number is 0845 60 60 400. For more information, log on to www.uktransplant. org.uk.