A FOUR Marks author has hailed his writing career for saving his life.

John Leete, a former journalist, said he only started writing books after beginning kidney dialysis treatment in 1998.

The 55-year-old, who has had three books published about Britain's home front during World War II, said researching and preparing the texts took his mind off exhausting dialysis care.

"I would encourage anyone who is faced with major challenges in their lives to think about focusing on a goal," said the Holt End Lane resident. "It is possible to win against the odds and I am so glad I made that choice."

He was diagnosed with chronic renal failure in 1979 but did not require dialysis treatment until 1998. He underwent a successful kidney transplant in 2002.

His first book, The New Forest at War, was published in 2004, followed by In Time of War: Hampshire in 2006 and then Under Fire in February this year.