Birmingham surgeon Darius Mirza has played a key role in the first successful multi-organ transplant of its kind in Australia.

Mr Mirza, a consultant liver surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, helped retrieve the liver and small bowel from a donor before then assisting in the transplantation of those organs into 32-year-old Brendan Cole.

Initial signs are that the 12-hour operation at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital was a success, but doctors are monitoring the patient carefully.

Mr Cole told The Age newspaper: ''It honestly brought tears to my eyes. It's something that I never thought would be done and it's amazing.''

As well as The Age, the Sydney Morning Herald covered the story, as did the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr Mirza, who has been involved in around 70 similar procedures over the past 15 years, said he was pleased to see Birmingham’s contribution reported in the Australian media: “It is good to see Birmingham being recognised in a small way.

"I would like to express my thanks to senior management at both Birmingham Children’s Hospital and University Hospitals Birmingham, as well as pass on good wishes and gratitude from the Austin and Royal Children’s Hospitals Liver Transplant Team.”

Mr Mirza is helping Australian doctors develop their bowel transplant programme.