A CREDITON woman who reluctantly had to hand over her driving licence 15 years ago due to failing eyesight recently got behind the wheel to take a car for a spin - and it was no ordinary car but a super car.

Sue Harrod (68), was born with high myopia and ulceration and in the early 1990s had retinal bleeds and glaucoma.

The macula damage has now taken her central vision and she’s registered severely sight impaired.  

But, she was once again able to get back in the driving seat, thanks to the national sight loss charity the Macular Society.

The Society, which supports people with macular disease - the leading cause of blindness in the UK - hosted a super car driving day for its visually impaired members.

The day was organised in a bid to raise awareness of the condition and took place as part of Macular Week.

Sue was one of the lucky people chosen to take part, being given the freedom of track, accompanied by an instructor with dual controls.

She was able to experience driving a Ford Mustang around a track in North Oxfordshire.

Sue was given a choice of driving a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Aston Martin, but she chose the Ford Mustang after previously driving one in 1967.

She said: “Being a left-hand drive automatic without power assisted steering or brakes, and large chunky tyres the car felt reminiscent of the old heavy cars I drove in the 1960s. It was nice to be free of gear changing.”

She added: “This was a most memorable experience and I am very grateful to the Macular Society for giving me the opportunity. I intend giving some talks to car clubs to share my experience with them and raise some money for research into curing blindness.”

AMD affects the central vision and is the most common cause of sight loss in the UK, affecting more than 600,000 people. More people are affected as our population ages.

Macular degeneration causes a loss of central vision. People with advanced macular degeneration cannot read, drive or recognise faces.  Half of all people in the UK registered as sight impaired or severely sight impaired have macular degeneration.

The Macular Society is the national charity for anyone affected by central vision loss, providing free information and support to improve lives and ensure no-one has to face macular degeneration alone. The Society also funds research so that one day there will be a cure for macular degeneration.

For more information about the Society visit: www.macularsociety.org .

Alan Quick