I WISH I had been more down when I went to see Miles Hilton Barber talk at Malvern Theatres.

The blind adventurer gave a motivational talk, urging his audience to make the most of life by "getting outside their circle".

There have been weeks where his talk could have rescued me from self-pity but on Tuesday I was upbeat and happy, refreshed from a holiday with family and friends.

I would have enjoyed a talk that concentrated more on Mr Barber's adventures and less on motivation.

To lift himself out of a deep depression, aged 55, in 1999, the Derbyshire-based Rhode-sian signed himself and unknowing neighbour, Jon Cook, up for the Marathon Des Sables - the toughest foot-race in the world across 150-miles of the Sahara Desert.

To train, the pair began running a marathon every Saturday morning, with Mr Cook acting as sight guide.

With that achievement behind them, they went on to raise charity funds climbing Mt Everest, trekking to the South Pole, completing an 11-day marathon across China and the Siberian Ice Marathon.

In 2003 Mr Barber became the first blind person to fly the English Channel in a microlight and next he intends to fly it to Australia.

There is not doubt the man is incredible. Yet during his talk he constantly referred to himself as a "stupid blind man" and insisted that we only think of him as an ordinary fellow.

Great happiness it seems brings with it overwhelming humility.

Ally Hardy