The number of people signing up as organ donors has increased across the country this year, partly due to a high- profile soap storyline.

Jayne Fisher, team manager for the Yorkshire Organ Donation Services Team, said: “Obviously Bradford people don’t just benefit from people in Bradford, it’s donors nationally and because that is up, we think it’s led to the number of local transplants being up.”

Dr Paul Cramp, consultant in intensive care medicine at Bradford Royal Infirmary, added: “It’s very hard to know why figures change.

“Nationally there’s been a lot of publicity, particularly with the soaps, and that has a massive impact – probably more than any sort of concerted campaign that we organise and wish to run.

“It’s those sort of things that will capture the public’s imagination.”

The doctor said an EastEnders’ storyline, involving Dexter Hartman donating a kidney to his long-lost father, Sam James, was the sort of publicity that would get people talking about the subject and more likely to sign up to donate organs.

“Any publicity is good publicity. It’s a matter of raising the profile,” he said.

Mrs Fisher said one donor could benefit up to nine people by donating their kidneys, eyes, heart, liver, small bowel, lungs and pancreas.

“If you go on to tissue donation, there’s probably hundreds of people who could benefit from one person,” she said.

  • To sign up to be on the organ donation register, visit organdonation.nhs.uk.