A WORCESTER man who was operated on by the surgeon that admitted burning his initials on to the livers of two unconscious patients during transplant operations had said he hoped he signed his liver too.

Worcester antiques dealer Jeff Hughes had two liver section operations carried out by Simon Bramhall, 53, of Redditch, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in 2010 and 2011.

We reported how the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Bramhall wrote his initials on the livers of the two patients without their consent and for no clinical reason while working as a liver transplant surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

They added that he used a medical instrument called an argon beam coagulator – which seals bleeding blood vessels by directing a beam of electricity on to the area – to “burn” his initials on to their livers.

But Mr Hughes, of Henwick Road, has defended Bramhall, who is due to be sentenced on Friday, January 12, saying he owed him his life.

The 70-year-old said: "When I heard the news, my very first words to my wife were, 'I hope he signed mine'.

"I feel privileged he did what he did. When I went into hospital Mr Bramhall explained what was going to happen and he was there when I woke up.

"He saved my life.

"It wouldn’t bother me in my opinion - my life has been saved.

"Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t mind at all - perhaps if it was on my head.

"Obviously, he is the top in his field."

He added: "I was told I would not survive. I was told by a doctor I was going to die. I am a success story."

Mr Hughes, who owns P & J Hughes Antiques, in Barbourne Road, alongside his 63-year-old wife Pamela, was diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer in 2009, and his last operation was six-years-ago in 2011.

He credits his survival to Mr Bramhall and his GP Robert Ingles.

He said: "I am fine now – they saved my life. I was told I wouldn’t have survived so I hold these two people in my highest regard.

"At the time these were very new operations. These people, I have nothing but respect for them.

"He (Dr Ingles) sent me to Worcestershire Royal and I was diagnosed with liver and bowel cancer.

"I had bowel cancer treatment done a week later and then the liver section. Unfortunately, six months later I had to have another operation."

Bramhall was a consultant liver surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital between 2002 and 2014 and, according to his website, he dealt with liver, biliary and pancreatic surgeries.

His website also said he had been involved in tutoring, examining medical students and supervising postgraduate students in higher degrees.