Football legend George Best has been out of bed and has started eating again just days after his life-saving liver transplant, according to hospital officials in London.
The former Manchester United and Northern Ireland star underwent 10 hours of surgery on Tuesday at the private Cromwell Hospital in west London.
He has spent several days in intensive care recovering from the procedure but was moved into a specialist liver ward on Thursday where medical staff are encouraging him to regain his mobility.
A hospital spokesman, Mr Geoffrey Brandon, said: "George Best has spent a quiet day relaxing. He's looking very well, eating and is very comfortable and walking about. Tests on his new liver are all satisfactory."
Best (56) has been accompanied by his wife Alex at the hospital at virtually all times since his operation. He had been waiting about eight months for a suitable liver after years of heavy drinking.
His medical team has said that if all goes well, the former footballer should soon notice improvements in his health, including better skin texture and hair texture, and he should have more energy.
Consultant physician Prof Roger Williams has said that Best's prospects for recovery were good, barring complications. "About 80 per cent of people having a transplant do well at one year. If they do well at one year, they go on doing well," he said.