A woman waiting anxiously for a potentially life-saving kidney transplant is hoping the new year will bring good news.

Australian citizen Susan Daunton, 62, is playing a frustrating waiting game to hear if she will be given the go ahead for a transplant from her twin sister Daphne Dearing from Patchway.

Susan was initially denied the operation at Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital earlier this year due to Daphne's high blood pressure but doctors at Bristol's Southmead hospital said they would be willing to step in.

However Susan lives in Australia and cannot afford the upfront costs of about £30,000 to fund the transplant outside of the NHS.

She feared her hopes would be dashed but another Australian hospital has given their provisional agreement to conduct the operation if Daphne's and Susan's test results are satisfactory.

"I'm just taking one day at a time and trying not to think about it too much or I would go mad," Susan told the Post.

"I've had bad news at the last minute when everything seemed fine before so until I get a date for the operation, I won't celebrate.

"If it's good news, the transplant would be in March or April.

"The main thing is that it gives Daphne time to prepare to come out to Australia and for her husband to take six weeks off work.

"Whatever happens I know I'm so much better off than people who have no family or friends to help them through times like this.

"I couldn't have a better sister than Daphne."