A boy who was given a kidney by his father is looking forward to a happy Christmas.

Ben Whittall, aged 10, of Smethwick is recovering in Birmingham Children’s Hospital after the transplant just over a week ago.

Ben’s father Stuart, a 39-year-old bank manager at Barclays in Bearwood, returned home from Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Sunday. Now the family is hoping that Ben, a pupil at Abbey Junior School, might be allowed home for a couple of hours tomorrow.

Stuart said the rest of the family, including Ben’s brothers Tom, 17, and Jack, 14, will be waiting for him before opening presents. But if he is not allowed out the whole family will visit him in hospital instead.

“We are told they do a nice Christmas dinner in here if you are in the hospital,” Stuart said. “I am still a little sore myself but it is amazing how quick the recovery has been for both of us.”

Mother Sarah, a police community support officer, said the operation had been the perfect Christmas present for Ben.