A GWENT grandfather is being kept alive by two hearts.

Carl Mitchard, 67, had a donor heart transplanted into his body more than 12 years ago to keep his own going - and now he wants to encourage more organ donors to sign up to the register.

Carl, from Blackwood, suffered a massive heart attack when he was 45 and his heart was badly damaged.

Ten years later, at the age of 55, he was given the heart of a seven-year-old Greek boy in a 'piggyback' operation that teams two hearts up in one body.

The retired mechanical engineer said: "I was awaiting a transplant but the opportunity came up to have this instead.

"I was told that the heart came from a boy who had died in Crete by the doctor at the time. They don't normally tell you anything about where the organ came from - that's all I know. I've got no contact with the donor's family.

"I don't know entirely how it works but my own heart is in pretty bad shape. At the time of the operation it was only working at between 12 or 15 per cent of its capacity."

Now his two hearts beat independently, at different rates, and Carl can hear both - the slow beat of his own heart, and the faster rhythm of the heart that saved his life.

And the grandfather-of-five is now encouraging others to register as organ donors so they can save lives like his.

He said: "I've been very fortunate and I was very lucky to get a good match so quickly."

* Call the Organ Donor Line on 0845 6060 400 or visit www.uktransplant.org.uk