Rea glad to be alive after op ordeal

British soft rocker Chris Rea admits he is amazed he's still alive after a life-threatening operation which left him diabetic and addicted to morphine.

The Let's Dance singer, aged 53, has taken three years to recover from the sometimes-lethal operation to remove his duodenum, pancreas and central digestive system.

He still cannot believe he survived. Rea explains, "I knew there was no choice; it was the operation or die. I weighed only eight stone when I came out and, as feared, I had become addicted to morphine.

"It's a miracle that I've survived, really. I have no gall bladder, no duodenum, no pancreas and dodgy bile ducts."