JASON Whittaker had never been ill in his life.

He was a fit and active young dad, who loved to play with his son and go scuba diving.

But then the 33-year-old developed what he thought was a bad case of the flu -- and that was when his nightmare began.

He was told that he had a potentially lethal heart disease and needed a life saving transplant.

That was just four months ago.

Now he has a new heart and is looking forward to a second chance in life.

Mr Whittaker had been suffering from flu-like symptoms during September and October.

After visiting the doctor several times, he was referred to the Royal Bolton Hospital, where he was diagnosed with the heart disease viral cardiomyopathy in November.

Mr Whittaker, who works as a pipe fitter, had no history of heart problems, but he was transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital where he has spent the last three months -- missing his 20-month-old son Luke's second Christmas.

Mr Whittaker, a keen scuba diver and member of the

Bolton BSAC Diving Club, said: "I have never been ill in my life so to be told I needed a new heart was a bit of a shock to say the least. We were devastated.

"I was very ill in the early days, but as I started to feel better it got harder to be away from my family."

Just eight weeks after he was put on the waiting list for a transplant, a donor was found. The operation was on February 5 and Jason is now back home in Stoneybank, Stoneclough. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, which may be hereditary or due to an infection or virus. Tests are being carried out to find the cause of Jason's illness.

Ann Stuart, manager of Wythenshawe Hospital's New Heart New Start fundraising appeal, said: "Mr Whittaker's case is fairly unusual and he was fortunate to get a donor heart so quickly. When people are put on the waiting list, it's a case of waiting for a match and it can take several months."