A YOUNG woman has appealed to the people of the North-East to help her beat her life-threatening illness.

Nineteen-year-old Lindsey Wood has an acute form of leukaemia and desperately needs a bone marrow transplant.

Doctors say a transplant will give her the best chance of overcoming her devastating illness.

Now Lindsey, from Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, is urging hundreds of people to come forward and see whether they could save her life by becoming a bone marrow donor.

The Anthony Nolan Trust is holding two mass drop-in clinics in the region later this month.

Lindsey, who worked at the Saks hair salon at Tall Trees Hotel, Yarm, Teesside, until she was diagnosed with the illness last October, issued an emotional appeal.

"Don't even think twice about coming forward - just do it. Even if you are not a good tissue match for me, there are loads of other people who need a transplant," she said.

"You don't realise how precious life is until something like this happens. Please help me and the others who are waiting, by coming forward and registering."

Determined to keep clubbing while she is well enough, Lindsey has been reduced to tears by groups of girls coming up to her at the Tall Trees club and saying they are going to register to try to help her find a match.

"There are people coming from Redcar, Sunderland, Darlington, from all over the North-East. All my friends are saying they will be there," said Lindsey, whose ultra-short hair is growing back after chemotherapy.

Peter Finnigan, North-East area manager of the Anthony Nolan Trust, said: "We really do need hundreds of people to come forward - lives are at stake."

The first mass clinic will be held at the Tall Trees next Thursday, from 6pm to 9pm.

Volunteers can also attend a clinic at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, on Tuesday, August 19, between 5.30pm and 9pm.

Potential donors, who will be asked to give a small blood sample, must be in good health, aged between 18 and 40 and weigh at least 8st.

If you cannot attend the sessions, you can ring the Anthony Nolan Trust helpline on 0901 8822234 to arrange for a blood sample to be taken by your GP. Calls are charged at 25 per minute with a proportion of the call charge going to the trust.

Anyone who is a potential tissue match will be asked to give another sample for more checks.