A father-of-two has received the best possible start to 2007 - the gift of life - for the second time.

Martin Jones, 43, had an incurable cancer - non Hodgkins lymphoma - diagnosed in 1997 and, in October last year, thought he was going to die.

But then an anonymous donor from the Czech Republic was found.

Mr Jones, from Hove, received bone marrow and a stem cell transplant from the man and the cancer went into remission.

But earlier this year the cancer returned.

He said: "I started getting pain in my leg and I just knew the cancer had come back."

Mr Jones's only hope was his mystery donor and the man responded once more, this time donating blood plasma.

Mr Jones had the transfusion on his 43rd birthday and now feels much better. He said: "I will have a scan in February which will confirm if it has worked but I know in myself it has been successful as there is no pain anymore."

Mr Jones added: "The generosity of this man is unbelievable. It is completely selfless. He doesn't get anything out of it."

This year, Mr Jones and his wife Karen, 38, and children Hayley, nine, and Michael, five, enjoyed a proper family Christmas.

Mr Jones said: "Last year, even though I had the treatment, I was very tired and couldn't really get involved with the kids, but this year I feel fine."

Last Christmas Mr Jones's daughter Hayley wrote a thank you letter to the man who saved her father's life.

It read s i m p l y : "Thank you for giving us our daddy for Christmas."

Mr Jones said: "We wanted to thank him for what he has done and we thought it was a good idea to send a picture of the kids and a note from them.

"We just thought it would be nice for him to know I have got a family, for him to know what he had done, the difference he has made."

Now the family has high hopes for 2007.

Mr Jones said: "We are going abroad for a family holiday for the first time in years, to France, which is something we are all looking forward to.

He also hoped to return to his job as an agricultural financier.

The Anthony Nolan Trust keeps a register of potential bone marrow donors worldwide.

It said at the moment, there is a particular shortage of male donors, and donors from ethnic backgrounds, particularly those of mixed race.

Mr Jones said: "It could be a child out there that needs your help.

It just changes lives, and helps people so much."

For more details, call the Anthony Nolan Trust on 0207 284 1234 or visit www.anthonynolan.org.uk