Blind veteran from Shropshire running London Marathon for the 13th time

• Alan explains why sport has been so important to him since he lost his sight.

A blind veteran from Shropshire is running the London marathon for the 13th time today.

Alan Lock, who is 43 and from Shrewsbury, has been supported by Blind Veterans UK, since he lost his sight aged 24.

Today he will be taking part in the 26.2 mile event as a way of raising awareness and funds for the charity.

Mr Lock joined the Royal Navy in 2002 but just three years later, a rare genetic condition similar to macular degeneration took his sight and forced him to retire from the Armed Forces.

In an interview with ITV News Central, Mr Lock said: "I can only speak from my own experience but when I lost my sight it cuts you off from so much of society like driving and reading, but even doing fun things like sport.

"So what I have found and seen in others is the benefit of sport is having the opportunity and that challenge.

"Particularly when you are perhaps coming to terms with your disability, it's so important for your confidence to be able to set yourself a goal."

But, it's not all been plain sailing. Three weeks ago Mr Lock's guide injured himself while running another marathon.

This lead to a community effort to find another guide in time for the event, after Mr Lock posted a viral social media post.

Mr Lock said: "Fortunately I was able to find a new guide, a chap called Richard who I have never met in person before!

"He is way faster than me which is always good and I will be meeting him in London.

"I think physically it gets harder and harder each year because I am getting older.

"Mentally because I have done it before I guess I have the benefit of a guide who tends to be a little bit faster than me anyways, mentally I know I can get round.

"It's just actually going on and doing it.

"For me I have always loved sport, one of the worst things about losing my sight was having to give up sport and running is one of those things that you had to do in the military and I found I was reasonably good at it and I still enjoy doing it albeit it having a guide."

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