THE manager of a West Devon residential home has been identified as a match on the Anthony Nolan Trust's bone marrow donor list and would like to help recover at least some of the costs involved by the trust in carrying out the necessary procedures.

Phil Harriman, who lives in Callington and is manager of West View Residential Home in Bere Alston, has been on the donor list for many years.

'I gave my first blood sample to join when the trust was set up 17 years ago,' he said.

Mr Harriman said he was 'a bit shocked' when he was contacted, and still was.

'Another blood sample was

taken to make sure, and that came back to confirm I was compatible.

'It's an amazing thing. You know that the other person must be in real need,' he said, but added that he was 'a real wimp' and was already feeling sore at just the thought of the operation!

The trust was set up to find bone marrow donors for people suffering from leukaemia, for whom a transplant was the last hope.

An initial visit to London for a medical on August 12 will be followed, all being well, by a return trip to the Royal Free Hospital in London on September 2 for the operation the following day.

Donors are not told the identity of donee, but are notified of the outcome.

If the transplant is a success, the recipient can chose to be put in touch with the donor.

Callington Lions Club, of which Mr Harriman is a member, is paying for the initial trip to London and the owner of West View Residential Home, Mrs Dee Atkinson, is paying for the travel cost of the second trip.

But Mr Harriman said the cost of the 'harvesting' procedure for the trust was in the region of £4,000 and he would like to try to raise some money to offset this.

Somerfield in Tavistock is looking into ways of helping out, but other fund-raising suggestions or offers of help would be welcomed by Mr Herriman on 01822 840674.

More details of the Anthony Nolan Trust's bone marrow donor list are available on 020 7284 1234 or at http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk">www.anthonynolan.org.uk