NEW advances in medical treatment have saved the life of Froxfield window cleaner Michael Dunne, who was told four years ago that he was dying of cancer.

But now the father-of-two and grandfather has been able to receive a life-saving bone marrow transplant from a brother thanks to newly developed techniques.

He owes his life, he said, to the generosity of his older brother Patrick from Swindon who readily agreed to provide bone marrow when tests showed a perfect match.

Mr Dunne's wife, Joyce, has showed her thanks to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by taking part in an abseil from the top of the 100ft high seven-storey building, raising more than £505 for a new cancer unit.

Ten years ago Mr Dunn, 53, became ill with a condition that thickened his blood. "My body was literally grinding to a halt," said Mr Dunne, who cleans windows in Marlborough, Burbage and Pewsey.

Further tests carried out at the John Radcliffe Hospital resulted in the diagnosis of the bone marrow cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Treatment initially included exchanges of blood plasma and then, over the next eight years, continuous courses of chemotherapy.

Mr Dunne carried on working throughout his treatment and his wife said: "I think it was the fact he kept on working that carried him through."

Then the chemotherapy began to lose its effect and doctors told Mr Dunne that his condition was terminal.

He had been told eight years ago he was too old for a bone marrow transplant. However about two years ago consultants told Mr Dunne that thanks to new techniques a transplant was a possibility.

His relatives all provided tissue samples and his brother Patrick's turned out to be a 100 per cent match.

On November 2 at the John Radcliffe hospital Mr Dunne received the life-saving stem cells taken from his brother's blood.

He said: "The very next day I started feeling better and I have not looked back since."

Mr Dunne said he was inspired by hundreds of cards he received from well-wishers but most of all, he said: "I owe my life to my brother."

He added: "If the transplant continues to be a success they are not saying I will just be in remission, they are saying it will be a cure."