A doctor has returned home after volunteering on the world's largest non-governmental floating hospital.

Dr Peter McDermott, of Loom Lane, Radlett, a consultant maxillofacial surgeon, joined a number of other British volunteers on the Africa Mercy ship, docked in Madagascar.

The ship, which will be in Madagascar for seven months, is run by the international charity, Mercy Ships.

They operate the floating hospitals which deliver free health care services to those who cannot access it in the developing world.

Dr McDermott has been a volunteer for the floating hospital since 1996, and this was his 14th trip.

The grandfather spent two weeks on the ship carrying out life-changing surgeries for those most in need, many of whom live on less than 75p a day.

He said: "People don't realise just how bad it is. They complain about the NHS but at least we have health care.

"Going out there, you can see how much your help changes their lives, it brings you down to earth and you realise how privileged we are."

One patient whose life has been transformed by Dr McDermott is Joceline.

Joceline, a young man from Madagascar, had a tumour growing behind his right eye for four years, and in that time it had pushed his eye out.

Dr McDermott performed a three hour surgery to remove the golf-ball sized tumour, which the team found had begun in his tear duct.

Joceline, who said all he wanted to was to be able to look someone in the eye, is now making a speedy recovery.

Dr McDermott added: "A lot of the patients that I see are people who have been born with deformities or have diseases like tumours.

"But the sad thing is that, over there, people with a disease or deformity around their face and neck they believe are the devil, so they face a lot of social prejudice too."

Judy Polkinhorn, Executive Director of Mercy Ships UK, said: "It’s wonderful to be welcoming Dr Peter McDermott back to the UK and thank him and all the many other Mercy Ships volunteers.

"We rely on people just like him who selflessly volunteer time and time again on the ship.

"Dr McDermott brings such skill and expertise and is able to transform the lives of so many living in extreme poverty, and we hope to see him again soon."