A kind-hearted Colley Gate woman is set to go under the knife in order to give her best friend "the gift of life."

Kerry Griffiths has agreed to donate a kidney to her best friend Janet Burgess in a life saving operation.

Janet, aged 35, of Hedgefield Grove, was diagnosed with kidney failure when she was just nine years old and has already had to undergo one kidney transplant ten years ago, but it failed two years ago, leaving her now needing a further transplant.

Members of her family, including her mum, stepped forward to be tested but failed to be matches.

Kerry, also 35, of Highfield Crescent, said: "I have been saying for a few years Janet could take my kidney as a joke, but she said why didn't I go and get tested."

The pair and their families were amazed to find Kerry was a perfect match.

Now both Kerry and Janet are preparing to be admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for the big operation on August 28.

Best friends for 14 years, mum-of-two Kerry said she is "not fazed" by the major surgery.

She said: "I'm not scared at all because I'm doing it for Janet as I've seen her go through a lot."

Janet, who has to have dialysis three days a week, for three-and-a-half-hours said her life will be transformed if the operation is successful.

She said: "I can't eat, drink or even go to the toilet at the moment, which I will be able to do after the operation.

"I will also be able to be a proper mum to my 16-year-old son who has also got kidney disease, and won't have to endure all the dialysis."

"What Kerry is doing for me is amazing, she has given me the gift of life, I cannot ever give her anything back to equal this.

"She has had to go through lots of tests which have made her really ill.

"There are not many people who would go through this for someone else."