A 20-YEAR-OLD Tamworth college student who lay in a coma with just 48 hours to live, is looking forward to a family Christmas – after receiving the world's fastest organ transplant.

Liesl Johncock, who lives in Austrey, was suffering acute liver failure and was placed at the top of the transplant waiting list.

With an average NHS waiting time of 95 days for a donor liver, her chances of survival seemed remote.

But within two hours a new organ was found and by the following morning, the life-saving operation was completed.

It is believed to be the fastest found and transplanted organ in medical history.

Liesl suffers from a condition which causes white blood cells to attack and destroy the liver.

She said: "When I opened my eyes I was very woozy and still very dazed – I didn't know where I was or what had happened.

"The doctor explained what had gone on and said I had already had a liver transplant – I was speechless.

"I cannot believe how quickly they managed to find me a new liver. I am so grateful, they saved my life without me having a clue what danger I was in."

Liesl's mother, Rosie (52), explained how her daughter had suffered with stomach problems for four years before she fell seriously ill.

"She had suffered for so long with problems, but she started to get delirious and was jaundiced and we knew something was seriously wrong.

"We now know that the white blood cells which were attacking her liver were also attacking her colon, so hopefully now she is on the auto-immune drugs, she will be in much better health.

"She is making amazing progress, she missed out on so much when she was a teenager and she's making up for lost time now – it's the best Christmas present we could have had."

Liesel was rushed to Queen's Hospital, in Burton-upon-Trent, where she slipped into a coma and was transferred to Birmingham University Hospital the next morning.

Doctors discovered that her liver failure stemmed from a previously undiagnosed condition called Autoimmune Sclerosing Cholangis (ASC).

Her parents were told that unless a new organ was found, she would die.

But incredibly, a matching organ was found two hours later and medics completed an eight-hour procedure to remove dangerous toxins from her blood before Liesl was taken to the operating theatre at 7am the following morning.

By midday the procedure had been completed but the student was kept unconscious for three days to help her body accept the new organ, before she was finally woken up.

Liver expert Darius Mirza, said: "What is extraordinary in Liesl's case is the sheer speed she was found a new liver, two hours is completely unheard of, even though she was made a national priority."

It is not known what triggers ASC, but the consultant said it could now be controlled with tablets which she will take for the rest of her life.

"Liesl has made a remarkable recovery and I wish her all the best in the future, she should live a normal life now", he added.

Her father Bev, a quality manager for an oil rig valve company, said he was 'astounded' at how quickly his daughter was saved.

He said: "We thought Liesl was going to die, you hear about so many people dying while waiting to receive a suitable organ.

"I cannot thank the staff and surgeons at the hospital more – I owe them everything."