A WIDNES musician who is only alive through the kindness of stranger has joined a unique pop band made up of transplant recipients.

Halton Council press officer Mark Allen received a double lung transplant in 2005 and is a European table tennis champion.

The 42-year-old keyboard player has teamed up with 18 singers and musicians from across the UK to form The Gifted Organs.

The band is now drumming up support to crowdfund its first album to promote organ donation.

So far they have recorded seven songs at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios and Metropolis Studios in London.

The tracks are all original pieces composed by members whose lives were saved by organ transplants.

The songs are a musical expression of the joy of life and are dedicated to the memory of their donors and donor families.

Mark, of Deirdre Avenue, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, said: “I play keyboards on several of the tracks and hope at least one of the songs I have written will make the final cut when we make the album.”

“I have played the piano since I was a child, released a dance track on iTunes, and was in bands as a student in Manchester so relished the chance to join this project and raise awareness of organ donation.

“I have also been working with a Slovakian lyricist to write a few songs, one may turn up as an instrumental on the new album.”

James Tottle Gifted Organs manager, songwriter, rhythm guitarist and vocalist, said: ”My life was saved 19 years ago by an unknown donor who gave me their heart so I might live.”

“In 2013 I decided to start the Gifted Organs and formed a band with fellow transplant patients as a tribute to our donors and to use our musical talents to promote organ donation so that many other lives can be saved.”

“Today that dream has become a reality."

The album is almost finished with only a few songs left to record and will be completed and ready for release in the spring.

A pre-sale of the album is available on Kickstarter, click here.

For information about organ donation visit organdonation.nhs.uk or call 03001 232323.