By Ian Gordon, PA Sport

Local lad Adrian Turner completed a remarkable return from a life-threatening illness as he grabbed bronze for England in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

The 25-year-old, whose sister Beverley helps present ITV's Formula One coverage and is engaged to Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell, finished third in the 400m individual medley.

Turner almost died in 1999 when he contracted an illness that affected his kidneys and needed six blood transfusions as his parents spent Boxing Day in a vigil by his bedside.

The Manchester-born swimmer clocked four minutes 18.75 seconds as Australia's Justin Norris took gold in a Games record of four minutes 16.95 seconds with Brian Johns of Canada second in 4mins 17.41secs.

Turner spent around two weeks in hospital, missing the Millennium celebrations, after being struck down on a pre-Christmas holiday in Scotland.

The Manchester United fan, whose hero is Eric Cantona, was affected by a disorder which is supposed to only threaten babies and old people.

The antibodies which are supposed to fight disease attacked his vital oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

"I nearly died a couple of years ago so I didn't think I would ever picture myself with a Commonwealth Games medal," added Turner.

"It is difficult to put into words. It is heaven-sent. Sometimes I didn't think I would swim again and when you have blood transfusions you don't think you will get in a pool.

"I took it one day at a time and thought about only one thing for the last 12 months. I worked really hard and it has paid off.

"I didn't think I would get a medal, that was only in my dreams. I was a long way down with a hundred (metres) to go, but I have been working on my back-end speed so technically it was a good race.

"I am not sure where it came from but the home crowd definitely helped. I am delighted Beverley and my mum and dad and rest of my family are all here to see me."