Best still battling for life

Manchester United legend George Best is 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 last night that he remained in a stable condition.

The former Northern Ireland star is in intensive care at the private Cromwell Hospital in London and is known to be 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 tonight: “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 changed all of his antibiotics to try to get on top of it.”

He said microbiologists had confirmed that 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 Mr Best’s son, Calum, had left the hospital after visiting yesterday afternoon.

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

He added: “He’s a very tough fighter. He’s been through many other crises.”

Best’s agent Phil Hughes said on Wednesday night that the infection had spread from his chest to his kidneys and was also affecting other organs, adding his condition was “as bad as it gets”.

The former European footballer of the year, who had his life-saving transplant at the hospital, has a well-documented history of alcoholism.

He caused anger when he embarked on a drinking binge within months of the operation – despite vowing to stay dry.

He had been told one more drink could kill him when he underwent the surgery in July 2002 and was criticised by a liver specialist for putting people off organ donation.

Best’s latest health problems are thought to be related to immuno-suppressant drugs he has been taking since his transplant to stop the organ being rejected.