Richard Taylor died after hitting a lamppost and fracturing his skull

Among the recipients was a terminally ill mother of a 10-month-old baby.

Mr Taylor, 23, from Barry in south Wales fractured his skull when he hit a lamppost in an accident in August 2004.

"He was able to save a family by saving a mother's life with a liver donation," his mother Gaynor said.

"Her baby has now got a mother for the rest of her life," she added.

"It made us so proud of the fact that he'd even considered it (organ donation) and it did helped us through.

"After Richard's death hospital staff approached us and asked us if we would consider giving his organs. I had no problems with that because it was something that we believed in anyway.

"The relief that we felt after agreeing to it and they came back to us later and told us he was already registered as a donor.

Organs donated following Richard Taylor's death saved six lives

"But I was really upset because I realised that if we'd said 'no' at that very traumatic time, even though he'd registered, his organs wouldn't have been used."

It is a concern that has prompted a warning from Sue Falvey from the organ donation body Donor Care and Coordination for UK Transplant.

"It really does demonstrate how important it is for us as individuals to tell those closest to you what you do want in the event of your death," she said.

"Then at a dreadful time for the family they don't have to make the decision because you've already made it."

Mrs Taylor added: "My belief is that if you have a donor card and have registered, you should talk to your nearest and dearest."

"But you should also ask them to agree before hand and say 'these are my wishes and I want you to carry them out'."

Teenage fans

Shortly after he hit a lamppost last year, Mr Taylor died from his injuries at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

A month before his accident he won the UK National In-Line skating championships, for the second year in a row.

He had turned professional when he was just 15 and had travelled around Europe, America and Australia putting on shows for thousands of teenage fans.

And he had also turned to freestyle skiing, and had competed in the British Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Championships in France winning the 'big air' ski title.