A kidney transplant patient has been air lifted from her holiday cruise liner after an emergency donor was found.

Judy Stockwell, 64 and her husband Roger, 66, were onboard the Queen Victoria just south west of the Lizard Peninsula off the Cornish coast when the call came through at 4:00 am to say a suitable donor had been found.

The crew of the liner sprang into action as after two years on the waiting list, Mrs Stockwell had just 5 hours to get to Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge.

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter was scrambled from RAF Culdrose in Cornwall and managed to winch Mrs Stockwell from the ship by 5:50 am. Then followed a 2 hour flight to Luton airport where the journey was completed by ambulance.

Pilot of the Sea King helicopter, Lt Cmdr Andrew Dodge said Mrs Stockwell was “very relieved but quiet” throughout the emergency mission.

Mr and Mrs Stockwell had been on their way to Barcelona and were extremely grateful for the help they received from everyone with Mrs Stockwell stating “This is going to change my life.”

A spokesperson for the hospital explained the urgency of the journey as a transplant organ can only remain viable for a short space of time; he also confirmed that Mrs Stockwell was in a ‘stable’ condition following her operation.