A GRANDFATHER was potentially millimetres away from death when doctors found the largest blood vessel in his body had swelled to four times its normal size.

Graham Langsbury said he was lucky to be alive after being diagnosed with a large abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) measuring 5.5cm in June 2013.

The 66-year-old received a letter inviting him to be screened for an AAA, which is most commonly found in men over 65.

After attending an ultrasound screening at Abingdon Community Hospital, Mr Langsbury, who lives in Kennington, was told he had a large AAA.

He said: “I felt fine, I didn’t have a clue what it was and didn’t know what all the fuss was about.

Mr Langsbury, who was operated on the following month, added: “You don’t get any problems, you feel nothing.”

An AAA is caused when the main blood vessel in the body weakens and expands, but in many cases it can be managed and monitored safely.

While large aortic aneurysms are usually symptomless they can rupture without warning – causing potentially fatal bleeding and death within minutes.

Eight out of 10 people whose aorta ruptures either die before reaching a hospital or do not survive surgery.

Because his aneurysm was so swollen Mr Langsbury was referred to the John Radcliffe for surgery and was operated on in July 2013.

By the time he went under the knife, the grandfather-of-two’s aneurysm had grown to 8.8cm and could have burst at any moment.

He said: “Doctors told me if I hadn’t had the operation it would have burst, then you die within three minutes.”

Mr Langsbury, who retired from his job at the BMW Cowley plant in 2012, is now urging other men to take advantage of the screening programme, which he believes saved his life.

He said: “I do not think I would be here today if a flyer telling me about the screening hadn’t come through my door.

“I feel very lucky to be alive.”

Since the early detection screening programme was introduced in 2009, Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust has screened 8,203 of the 10,643 men invited to take part across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

All men registered with a GP will be invited for a screening in their 65th year, but people who feel they have an increased risk of having an AAA can also be referred.