Marcus Wraight, BBC South West health reporter

Derriford's statistics are higher than the UK average

The regional transplant unit is based at Plymouth's Derriford Hospital and treats renal patients from across Devon and Cornwall.

The hospital carried out 30 kidney transplants in 2003, the following year it was 38, and last year the figure rose to 51.

It is the highest number since the first transplant at Derriford in 1973.

I can do normal things - my life is fantastic Pat Hogben, organ recipient

One reason for the increase is the recent introduction of the controlled non-heart beating donation programme, part-funded by UK Transplant.

It means that the organs of a small number of donors who have died but are not still kept on life support machines are now also being used, with the consent of bereaved relatives.

Nurse Pat Hogben works in the operating theatres at the hospital, and had a kidney transplant in the latter part of last year.

"It's just changed my life totally. It's meant I can do normal things - my life is fantastic."

Transplant surgeon Jacob Akoh said: "We feel that we're going places. It's not just the number of organs, but the outcomes are really excellent.