A non-league football manager is giving up one of his kidneys to help his daughter.

Mark Grainger, who manages Atherstone Town, agreed to donate when he discovered that his daughter had a failing kidney.

Corinne found out that one of her kidneys was failing when she went into hospital with high blood pressure two years ago.

The 22-year-old was pregnant at the time with her daughter, Leah. If she does not get a new kidney she faces dialysis four times a week.

Mark hates operations and even quit playing non-league football himself when he was faced with operations to repair damaged cartilage in his knees.

The 45-year-old, who works as a transport manager at UPS in Tamworth, said: “I have no doubt that every parent would donate an organ to their child if they needed to and they could.

“We had no inkling that Corinne had any problems and it was not something that was picked up when she was younger.

“It was lucky that I was a perfect match and the doctors told me that there will be no problems with living with one.

“We have spent the last year going through all of the tests and examinations to make sure I am fit and healthy enough to be a donor.

“The good thing is that there are other good matches within the family. So there will also be other options if this kidney lasts her 15 or 20 years.”

Martin said he hoped to be back in the stands to watch his Midland Football Alliance team within two weeks.

The former non-league footballer added: “The operation is not like it used to be.

“I have been told to expect to be in hospital for three or four days, but I hope to be back watching the lads within a few weeks.

“We were talking with the doctors at the hospital and they said the West Midlands was one of the worst areas in the country for donors.

“I just wish more people would come forward as donors. We have the match within the family, but other people are not so fortunate.

“For some reason there are far less donors in this region than in any other and I just hope that will change.”

The transplant will take place at Coventry’s Walsgrave Hospital on Friday.