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At the time the prevailing medical opinion was to let patients die with dignity, rather than suffer an uncertain future after a risky operation.

But Trevor was lucky. He was taken to Derbyshire Royal Infirmary - then home of the East Midlands neurosurgery unit - where Mr Firth was able to use the latest techniques.

At the reunion Mr Firth, who is now retired, was delighted to see Trevor: "He had everything against him. He is a very lucky man. It's absolutely fabulous to see him again. He really was a forerunner of how we treat brain aneurysm patients today."

Trevor, now 58, recovered from the operation well, and returned to work five months later. All he now has to remind him of the operation is a thin scar running most of thelength of his skull. Barring a few small gaps in his memory he has had no adverse effects.

He said:"With Mr Firth I had the best treatment in the world. People knock the NHS but I had a million pounds worth of treatment out of it - and if I won the Lottery tomorrow i’d have no hesitation in paying it into our hospitals.

"I could have finished work but I wanted to continue my life as I'd lived it. It is down to Mr Firth and perseverance that I can.

"I count every day as a bonus but I never realised how serious the situation was and how close to death I came."

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