Brother makes second mercy flight to try to save his sister

John Wootton, 69, flew to Australia to rescue his sibling Hazel McCaig, 66, who was suffering from acute leukaemia and was told she had just 12 months to live.

Mr Wootton's first trip in July last year was followed by a second this September. The Australian Government paid for the flights.

Although the first transplant appeared to have worked, Mr Wootton, of Wakefield, later received a phone call telling him the leukaemia had returned and his sister's only chance of survival was a second transplant.

Mr Wootton, who hopes his story will encourage more people to join the bone marrow register, returned home last week.

He said: "We were told this is her last chance, if she didn't have the bone marrow transplant again she would die within 12 months. "She won't be able to have a third bone marrow transplant if this one doesn't work because she'll be too weak."

Mrs McCaig's white blood cell count has increased since the operation, an early indication of success.

She is now recovering in hospital in Sydney.