A former regional press journalist who nearly died after eating deadly mushrooms is recovering from a translpant operation after his daughter donated a kidney.

Nicholas Evans, now a well known author, started as a trainee reporter on the Evening Chronicle in Newcastle in the 1970s.

He went on to become a millionaire when he wrote the novel The Horse Whisperer which was later made into a hit film.

Nicolas and three members of his family, including his wife, became ill after eating the highly toxic mushrooms  in August 2008, believing them to be edible fungi.

Since then he has needed five hours of dialysis a day due to kidney failure.

However after nearly three years on the transplant list, the 60-year-old writer is now recovering well after his daughter Lauren gave him one of her kidneys.

Speaking to the Chronicle’s sister paper the Sunday Sun he said: “After eating poisonous mushrooms three years ago, I lost the use of my kidneys.

“For all of that time my wonderful daughter has been offering me one of hers. We turned out to be a perfect match.

“The transplant happened last week. We are both a bit sore but doing fine.”

Nicholas, who said the deadly webcap mushrooms made him so sick he though he was going to die, is now recovering from the transplant at home in Devon.