A great-grandmother in Manchester has become the first person in the UK to be cured of her skin ulcers through a new treatment.

Jessie Townley, who is 92 years old, underwent an hour long operation at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester that involved skin cells from diseased donors that are known as decellularised dermis.

Mrs Townley has now become the first person to get fully cured of her chronic leg ulcers, which has troubled her since 20 years, through a clinical trial at University Hospital South Manchester. She has suffered ulcers on her right leg since twenty years and the treatment has given her a new lease of life.

"Anyone who has had leg ulcers as long as I have will know how rotten it can be. I have needed clean dressings twice a week and that has meant trips to hospital," she said.

She earlier believed that the new treatment might not work for her and might benefit younger people. But she expressed delight on the success of the treatment. Under the treatment, donor's cells are removed from the skin and are made o thin sheets by the NHS Blood and Transplant Service that is based in Liverpool.

Mr Ardeshir Bayat, the leader of the trial said, Decellularised dermis is applied to a leg ulcer to 'kick start' healing in wounds which have become static and resistant to traditional treatments. We are delighted not only with Jessie's results, but also with the preliminary finding of other patients on the study."