A WOMAN who was told she could not donate a kidney to her son has raised more than £1,000 for the hospital team who looked after him.

Andrea Bailey, 33, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, was devastated when doctors told her that an antibody would prevent her giving her 12-year-old Mark one of her kidneys - even though her own mother, Kath Bailey, 52, had donated him a kidney when he was two.

"I felt so frustrated that my mum could help but I couldn't, and I just had to do something myself," said Mrs Bailey.

"So I decided to run the Great North Run. I wanted to raise money for the Royal Victoria Infirmary's children's renal team, in Newcastle, where Mark's been going since he was two. It's like a second home to us."

Mrs Bailey raised more than £1,600 for the team that has cared for Mark since renal failure was detected ten years ago.

In March 2000, Mrs Bailey was told Mark had renal failure for the second time.

Although she could not give her own kidney, after three years of waiting Mark had another transplant in June.

She said: "Before the transplant, Mark was taking 36 tablets a day and had to have injections every night and was tired all the time.

"Since the transplant, he's had so much more energy and can enjoy sport again. He's very outgoing and nothing bothers him. He never complains."

Mrs Bailey said she could not believe the generosity of complete strangers while fundraising for the Great North Run.

"I'd really like to thank everyone, but especially The Kings Head, in Guisborough, which raised £555, and Hazel Mathewman, who raised more than £200 for me," she said.