A BONE marrow transplant patient is to line up against the doctor who helped put his cancer into remission when they both take part in the BUPA Great North Run.

Toolmaker Chris Norris, from Darlington, will be racing against Newcastle consultant haematologist Dr Stephen O'Brien, who treated him at the Royal Victoria Infirmary last year.

Fifteen months ago, 36-year-old Mr Norris was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a cancer of the blood which affects up to 750 people in the UK each year.

He said: "It was difficult to believe this was happening to me. It is very hard when you have a wife, and a boy who is only seven years old. Doctors said my leukaemia was becoming aggressive and I would need bone marrow transplant as soon as possible."

His older sister, Laura, was a perfect match and he was taken to the RVI last May, where he was treated by Dr O'Brien, one of the UK's leading CML experts and a senior lecturer at the University of Newcastle.

Dr O'Brien, 39, said: "I am delighted that his transplant seems to have gone really well and he is still clear from his leukaemia.

"He is an amazing man, who wants to live his life to the full. I see him every month for his check-up and we have been comparing training schedules. We will have to see who finishes first on the day but, that said, it's only a bit of friendly competition."

Both men are running the 13-mile race on September 21 to raise money for a charity that is very close to their hearts, Leukaemia Research - even though Mr Norris has suffered some complications since his treatment.

He said: "I really wanted to do something to help other patients with this disease and to make sure that research can help patients who may be diagnosed in the future."