A HEART patient from Bury faces a 200-mile round trip for regular check-ups, as the threat of closure looms for a top transplant unit.

Granfather Bernard Dunleavy (64), of Northfield Road, Limefield, underwent a heart transplant at the North West Transplant Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital eight years ago this week. He still visits the specialist centre every six weeks for check-ups.

But with the unit muted for possible closure by the Department of Health, Bernard says he fears "serious" consequences.

As part of a rationalisation plan for transplant services, ministers propose cutting the number of UK transplant centres from six to four. Guarantees about the future were given to three of them at Harefield, Papworth and Newcastle. If Wythenshawe were to close, the closest treatment centre for Bernard would be in Sheffield or Birmingham. The former lecturer said: "There was an occasion last year when I had to be in Wythenshawe within a couple of hours. I don't know what would have happened in a case like that if I had to go all the way to the Midlands.

"There would be occasions when we would not make it in time and the consequences of that could be very serious."

Bernard and his wife Sarah, who have four grandchildren, celebrated the eighth anniversary of the transplant with a quiet meal.

He added: "I would like to see Wythenshawe expand, not close. It's now a part of my life, I just cannot imagine that it would not be there any longer.

"I've been there since before the transplant. I know the staff and the staff know me. There's a terrific sense of security for me there. I know I'm in extremely good hands."

This week patients were moved into a new ward at the centre, built at a cost of £1.9 million through charitable donations. People attend the centre from across the North West and north Wales, a catchment area containing some six million people.

An SOS campaign has been organised by the hospital's "New Heart, New Start" appeal, inviting transplant patients and members of the public to enlist the support of MPs.

Following a delay on the decision, those involved with the appeal will have to wait until autumn to find out the Department of Health verdict.

Appeal manager Ann Stuart said: "The situation is still uncertain but we are confident and believe that it would be criminal to close the centre, when all of this charitable money has been poured into a new ward. This centre must not be allowed to sink. We want the public, through their MPs, to throw us a lifeline."