The Millennium Transplant Games come to the North-East next week with the events covering a wide spectrum of activities from fishing to athletics.

Tynemouth Sailing Club will host the Sailing Events on Friday, July 28 with five competitors from across the country taking part.

All of them are experienced sailors, none more so than Andrew Didsdall from Hampshire who has sailed most of the way around the World. He took part in one of the Round the World Races a few years ago and had to be rescued after sustaining an injury.

Organisers intend the event will demonstrate that life can be good after a transplant and that these 'patients' now lead an active, healthy lifestyle.

They also hope to promote the benefits of carrying a Donor Card and show both carriers of cards, and the bereaved relatives of carriers, how much their personal sacrifice is appreciated by the recipients of the transplanted organs.