DORSET'S Jean Howard-Jones jetted off to Japan this week to make her international swimming debut at the age of 58.

Jean, who had a kidney transplant less than two years ago, will be competing for Britain in the World Transplant Games after resurrecting a swimming career she abandoned in her teens.

In fact she is one of Britain's medal favourites in Kobe after winning both her individual events at the British Transplant Games in Leeds two weeks ago.

After only a few months of training, she recorded the impressive long course times of 37.9 and 1:29.19 to win the 50m and 100m freestyle in her age group.

Her success is the latest step in an amazing transformation in her physical health.

Just two years ago Jean, of Avon Castle Drive, near Ringwood, was suffering badly from the effects of a hereditary condition called polycystic kidneys.

"I lived with it for a number of years without much in the way of symptoms but then things started to deteriorate," she said.

"I became quite poorly and was on dialysis for 11 months."

Jean's sister offered to donate one of her kidneys and they were due to go for tissue typing on October 14, 1999.

"Then on the night of October 6-7, I had a phone call to say there was a kidney available for me.

"I was told to pack my bags and go straight to Plymouth."

The kidney was duly transplanted and within three weeks was working perfectly.

"I was terrible excited when it started working and since then I have felt absolutely wonderful," she said.

"I don't know the identity of the donor family but I think about them a lot and am eternally grateful."

Jean, who swam for her native Sheffield and Yorkshire as a girl and competed in the Commonwealth Games trials, said that honouring the donor families was one of the aims of the Transplant Games.

"It's not just about winning medals. It's also about the donor families, to highlight the donation of organs and to show people who are waiting for a transplant that there is life afterwards."

Since deciding to resume the swimming career that she abandoned more than 40 years ago, Jean has been training regularly at Ringwood's David Lloyd Club.

She made her competitive comeback for the Dorset and Poole masters teams earlier this year, then surprised herself with her performances at Leeds, where she also helped a London hospital's relay team to a bronze medal.

These successes have boosted her confidence for the world event.

"I'm determined to come back with a medal - hopefully a gold," she said.

She added: "It's very exciting. I haven't been out of Europe before and suddenly I'm swimming for Britain in Japan. I can hardly believe it's happening."