Ben looks forward to a healthy Christmas

Like most youngsters 11-year-old Ben Whittall is looking forwards to Christmas with his family.

But for the Smethwick schoolboy this year will be all the more special, after spending last year's recovering from a kidney transplant.

As most children spent the run up to the big day in a whirl of parties and presents just over a year ago Ben was preparing for major life-changing surgery, going under the knife on December 16. Christmas Day was spent in a hospital bed, with just a couple of hours to return home.

However, this year promises to be very different.

Bursting with vitality the 11-year-old, who last year was spending 10 hours a day, six days a week on dialysis, has now taken part in the British Transplant Games, climbed Snowdon and joined his local football team.

Ben's kidney was donated by dad Stuart, aged 40 following months of tests, and both father and son recovered well from the surgery, with Ben back home on New Year's Eve.

Mum Sarah said the family, including Ben's brothers Tom, aged 18 and Jack, aged 15 ,will be spending Christmas at home in Thimblemill Road, doing all the things Ben missed out on last year.

Just eight months after leaving hospital the Abbey Junior pupil has competed in the children's section of the British Transplant Games in Bath and won a bronze medal in badminton, silver in table tennis and gold in long jump. He has also joined football team Warley Albion.

Sarah, a 39-year-old community support worker, said: "The operation has had a massive impact on him. It has really boosted his confidence, he is a completely different person now."

Ben was struck down with kidney disease in January 2008, when he was just eight.

It is believed a virus attacked his immune system, which in turn attacked his kidneys

After months of tests both parents were found to be a suitable donor.

It was decided Mr Whittall, a bank manager at Barclays' Bearwood branch would be the donor.

Ben said: "What I am looking forward to most of all is opening presents then spending the morning playing games with all my family."