A KENDAL councillor who donated a kidney to his wife has given his backing to parliamentary recommendations to increase the number of UK donors.

Members of parliament are asking for urgent action to reverse the downward trend over the last three years in living kidney donation in the UK.

The All Party Parliamentary Kidney Group (APPKG) has published a manifesto outlining actions which need to be taken to address the situation.

Living kidney donation has fallen from 1,148 in 2013/14 to 1,043 in 2016/17 - a reduction of nearly nine per cent.

Cllr Chris Hogg donated a kidney to his wife Rachael in 2016, and the pair have since set up the Kendal Organ Donor Town initiative urging residents to register as donors.

"I think it's very positive that more than 1,000 people a year have made the decision to be living kidney donors in the UK," said Mr Hogg. "The commitment to be a living donor is a very personal one in each case, whether you are donating to a family member, a close friend or on a purely altruistic basis and there is a lot to consider in each individual situation.

"These operations save lives and money, enabling recipients to return to work and live full active lives and taking pressure off the NHS. It is therefore a great shame that there has been a nine per cent decrease in living donations."

Madeleine Moon MP, Chair of the APPKG said: “The Secretary of State, NHS England, NHS Blood and Transplant and the kidney community need to give greater priority to living kidney donation.

"Living kidney transplants generally last longer and, compared to the cost of dialysis, result in significant savings to the NHS. The APPKG recognises the excellent work in living kidney donation taking place in some areas and wishes to encourage such practice throughout the UK.”

The manifesto sets out seven recommendations which include developing a strategy for supporting kidney patients in finding potential living kidney donors and publicising the long term financial benefits of increasing living kidney transplantation.

Mr Hogg added: "I hope the recommendations from the APPKG are acted upon and this group continues to work in partnership with other key stakeholders to increase the number of living donors in the future and we will continue to raise awareness through our events and activities at Kendal Organ Donor Town."