A DAD-OF-FOUR, who needed a liver transplant after a motorbike crash led to him having a contaminated blood transfusion, has taken on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge as a thank you to the hospital staff who helped save his life.

Nick McDonald, 52, was 17 when he had the accident in Germany and needed blood which turned out to be contaminated with the Hepatitis C virus.

"After more than 20 years, my liver started to deteriorate and cirrhosis set in," said Mr McDonald, of Clayton Heights, Bradford.

"Over a three-to-five year period, I tried a number of different medical treatments from the wonderful hepatology team at Bradford Royal Infirmary but my old liver was just not working and I needed a transplant to survive,"

He added: "I consider myself the luckiest person alive because on the day I was signed up to the transplant list, within just four hours, another wonderful team at St James’s Hospital Leeds swapped my old liver for a new one.

"I’ll be forever grateful to the person who donated their liver to me - I just happened to be a perfect match and in the right place at the right time.

“I took part in the Three Peaks Challenge to say thank you to everyone who saved my life from the donor to the hospital teams and the British Liver Trust whose invaluable patient information always put my mind at rest.”

Mr McDonald said he was determined to complete the gruelling 26-mile hike over the three highest peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough with a combined height of 7,064 feet - in under 12 hours and achieved the goal with minutes to spare.

He was accompanied by his partner Annette Essex, who works as a dermatology research sister at St Luke’s Hospital, and ten colleagues at Kluber Lubrication GB Limited where he works as a sales representative.

Mr McDonald said: “Although Hep C is always there in the background, I feel I have been given a new lease of life. I am now on a new course of drugs which are having a positive effect and I have been Hep C free for the last four months."

Consultant hepatologist, Dr Paul Southern, said: “Nick is a shining example of how the lives of very sick patients can be transformed after transplantation.

"He really is seizing his second chance at life and we are delighted to see his amazing recovery.

"We are incredibly grateful for Nick’s support and his fundraising for the British Liver Trust which is a charity who provide our patients with information, support and care. I thank him once again for his generous words and much welcomed support.”

After the walk last weekend, Mr McDonald posted: "Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge completed 24 miles over 3 2400ft peaks in 11hrs 35min.

"Seven of us set out at 6:30am and arrived back after a gruelling walk at 18:05. Now nursing sore blistered feet, aching legs, and aching back. But all in all a very rewarding day."

Mr McDonald's fundraising page is still open at justgiving.com/nick-mcdonald2/