Best still fighting for life in intensive care unit

SOCCER legend George Best was last night continuing to battle for life as the doctor in charge of his care said: “We are not giving up.”

Professor Roger Williams, who oversaw alcoholic Best’s controversial liver transplant in 2002, said the 59-year-old had an unexplained bowel infection, which was causing complications to his treatment, but stressed he remained in a stable condition.

The former Manchester United and Northern Ireland star is in intensive care at the private Cromwell Hospital in London and is suffering from internal bleeding.

He was admitted to the hospital nearly four weeks ago with an infection and his condition deteriorated when it spread.

Prof Williams said last night: “His condition is stable but he does have a particularly nasty complication with bleeding from his bowel.

“It is a complication that we don’t fully understand, we don’t know why this is happening and have, this afternoon, changed all of his antibiotics to try to get on top of it.”

He said microbiologists had confirmed the infection was not linked to MRSA and added: “I can’t say how serious the infection is and the bleeding comes and goes.

“I have looked after him for a long time and we are not giving up.”

Prof Williams confirmed Best’s son, Calum, had left the hospital after visiting this afternoon.

He said that Best “still had every chance of pulling through this.”

He added: “The chances of that, I couldn’t put a figure on it, it would be just a guess.

“He’s a very tough fighter, he’s been through many other crises.”

A spokesman for the hospital said: “He is in intensive care, and remains stable, as he has been all day.

“He is on a ventilator, and his doctor has changed his medication today. The unit will be monitoring his response for the next 24 hours.”