A former Lindley man has won gold at the 2014 Winter World Transplant Games – but it was a real nail-biter.

Mark Brown – who had a kidney transplant 19 years ago – was defending a curling gold he had won at the 2012 transplant games in Switzerland.

The British curling team played France in the final and it went right down to the wire with the British team winning the final end by less than an inch.

Mark said: “We thought we’d won but it was so very close it needed the judge’s special measuring tool to be absolutely certain.”

Mark was also a member of the British downhill slalom team and picked up a silver medal in that event.

He added: “We were beaten by Austria but were ahead of other major skiing countries such as Switzerland and Austria.”

The games were held at La Chapelle d’Abondance in the French Alps and the 12 members of Team GB brought home an impressive 16 medals.

Mark also took part in the downhill ski event the giant slalom – as well as a daredevil event called ski shoeing which involves plummeting down a 150-metre steep slope.

“I managed to reach a speed of 65km an hour,” said Mark. “The eventual winner managed 72kmh which is going some!”

Mark celebrated his 47th birthday while at the games.

He is married to Joanne and the couple have a six-year-old daughter, Jessica, and a three-year-old son, Ben.

He works as a kitchen designer in Newark.

Mark had the kidney transplant operation at St James’ Hospital in Leeds in 1994, featuring in the ITV show Jimmy’s.

He was diagnosed with Alports Syndrome as a young man growing up in Lindley.

The former Lindley Junior School and Salendine Nook High pupil had treatment for the hereditary disease at St James’ for several years, including dialysis, before undergoing the transplant.

His brother James, who lives in Marsh, also has the condition and he had a transplant nine years ago.

The games are organised under the auspices of the World Transplant Games Federation, offering transplanted athletes an opportunity to live life to the full and give thanks to organ donor families on a world stage.

 People are urged to sign up to become organ donors. For further information on how to sign the Organ Donor Register visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23 or text SAVE to 84118.