A father of two will learn this week whether he has successfully beaten cancer.

Martin Jones was given a bone marrow transplant towards the end of last year thanks to a donor from the Czech Republic.

The 41-year-old had suffered from non-Hodgkins lymphoma for seven years and, despite intensive chemotherapy, urgently needed a transplant to save his life.

The process to transplant stem cells took six weeks and the results appear to be very good so far.

A scan in January was clear and results of a second test taken more recently will be known on Thursday.

Mr Jones, from Hangleton, Hove, is now hopeful he will be given the all-clear from doctors.

He said: "We cannot say for definite yet but things are looking good at the moment.

"I am feeling a lot better and am gradually getting stronger.

"Obviously there is a long way to go before I can build up my strength again after all that time being ill and in bed but I am getting there.

"I can manage ten minutes playing football in the garden which is great."

Mr Jones and his wife Karen, 37, will learn from medics at the Royal Free Hospital in London whether the transplant has been fully successful.

He said: "We are very hopeful but we don't want to go mad yet. We need to wait a little longer first.

"I am tremendously grateful to the man who came forward in the Czech Republic who was able to help me. It shows that these types of donor lists and registers are important all around the world.

"If that man hadn't become I donor I could have died. He has saved my life."

Mr and Mrs Jones, who have two children, Hayley, eight and Michael, four, made a public appeal for donors last September.

Mrs Jones arranged to hold a clinic for potential donors and more than 100 people came forward to help.

Mr Jones said: "Thanks to them there may be someone in my position in the future who will be helped because they have signed up.

"I'd urge anyone who has not joined the register to do so. There are children and adults in Sussex, around the country and abroad who need bone marrow transplants and you never know who may be a match."

Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a disease that affects the cells of the lymphatic system, known as white blood cells or lymphocytes.

The lymphocytes start to behave like cancerous cells and grow and multiply uncontrollably and may not die off in the way they ought to.

Because of this, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is often referred to as a cancer.

For more information about bone marrow donation visit the Anthony Nolan Trust website at www.anthonynolan.org.uk or call 020 7284 1234.