A 103-YEAR-OLD woman from the region has become Britain's oldest organ donor.

Great-great grandmother Edith Cox died earlier this year, but her corneas have been donated to two people - restoring their sight.

Daughters Mabel Davies, 76, and Joyce Welsh, 80, agreed to allow her corneas to be donated, remembering her as someone always happy to help others.

Both sisters say it came as a surprise that Mrs Cox, from Redcar, east Cleveland, was able to donate anything given her age and deteriorating sight.

The cornea is the clear tissue at the front of the eye that lets in light and helps focus it.

Mrs Welsh, a great grandmother seven times, said: "It's wonderful what they can do these days. Both corneas have been transplanted successfully. At 103, my mother would have been delighted, she would have been proud. My mother was a giving person."

The hour-long cornea transplant was carried out at The James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, which was designated an eye retrieval centre in 2005 - and where Mrs Cox died, in May.

Eye retrieval co-ordinator Craig Rabbetts said: "It is wonderful to know someone has received the gift of sight, but I would personally like to thank Edith's family for making that decision on the basis it was what she would have wanted.

"Hopefully, this also highlights the message that you can never be too old to become a donor and I hope this will encourage older people to join the donor register.

"The NHS has the capacity to perform more of these vital operations, but the shortage of donated corneas limits the number of patients we can help."

Mrs Cox donated all money given in lieu of presents for her last three birthdays to the RNLI, in memory of her late husband, Randall, who worked on a fishing boat during the 1926 General Strike.

To sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, call 0845-606-0400