Britain's first double hand transplant patient said he is most looking forward to holding a bottle of beer and wearing shirts with real buttons.

Chris King, 57, who lost both his hands except his thumbs in a metal pressing machine accident at work, said he felt "whole again" after the operation.

He is the second person to have a hand transplant at at specialist centre at Leeds General Infirmary and the first in the country to have both hands replaced.

He said they look "absolutely tremendous" and he has already had some movement.

"It's better than a lottery win because you feel whole again," he said, adding that he will celebrate by holding a bottle of Timothy Taylor's and ditching his "Full Monty Velcro" shirts he has had to use.

King, from Doncaster, lost his hands in the accident three years ago and had resigned himself to living an adapted life.

But when Professor Simon Kay at Leeds General Infirmary introduced him to Mark Cahill, the first person to have had a hand transplant in the UK in 2012, he was encouraged to have the operation.

They have since become good friends - exclusive members of a club of two that is looking for more members, he added.

"We'll shake hands one day. It's wonderful stuff," he said.

He has returned to work at Eaton Lighting in Doncaster where the accident happened and said the firm has been "brilliant" in supporting him.

Professor Kay's team currently has four more people on the waiting list.

King stressed the importance of people stepping forward as potential donors and become emotional when asked about the person who helped him.

He said: "It's marvellous. It's like somebody putting an arm round you and saying you'll be alright. It's difficult to say thank you."

No details of the donor, who gave his upper limbs and other organs, has been released but his family released a statement: