A Tenby man has helped to save the life of a leukaemia sufferer by giving a bone marrow donation.
Forty-three-year-old Keith Butler underwent the transplant operation last Friday after he was found to be a match for a 30-year-old seriously ill man in Germany.
After failing to find a match in their country, the medics turned to Wales, and Keith, who has the rare blood group RhD negative, was found to be the only one out of 300,000 donors to be suitable.
"This was the man's last resort and his family were over the moon to find a donor," Keith, of 27 The Clicketts, told the Observer on Wednesday.
A blood donor for the last 10 years, Keith joined the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry 18 months ago after filling in a leaflet whilst attending a blood donation session at the De Valence Pavilion.
Keith was contacted by the registry a month ago and had to undergo a full medical before being given the all-clear to give bone marrow.
The two-hour operation at the Bupa Hospital in Cardiff was carried out by a surgeon from Germany, who then flew back with the bone marrow and performed the transplant later in the day.
"I have been told that the man is as well as to be expected, but they will not know the full results until 12 weeks, but I have asked to be kept informed," explained Keith.
"I feel great, although I am still a little bit bruised and sore.
"Every day I am getting better, and it is a small price to pay when I think I have helped to save someone's life.
"I had never had an operation before, so I was a bit wary, but it was fine and I am very glad I went through with it," added Keith, who hopes to encourage more people to join the donor registry.
Keith, who works for GTRM on railway track maintenance in Haverfordwest, is married to Pearl and has one son, Karl, who is aged 12.