Blind punk band frontman to run London Marathon

Phil Harrison is part of punk band Social Security [BBC] A blind punk band frontman is set to run the London Marathon to raise money for a UK sight loss charity. Phil Harrison, 69, from Paignton, in Devon, will run the route alongside his guide runner, Dr Julia Tysoe. Harrison, who is part of punk band Social Security, said he lost his sight in his left eye due to an injury during a "feisty rounders tournament" in his teenager years.

He later lost sight in his right eye following a cancer diagnosis when he was 60 years old. "I feel good, I've been doing the training," he said. "I feel it's a real privilege to actually be part of something that's really amazing and positive, [I'm] really looking forward to it.

" More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Harrison compared his vision to a kaleidoscope, and said "it's a bit like looking at a mirror that's been shattered". He said he used to run solo, but kept falling over when his sight loss "really got bad". "It shattered my confidence a bit.

" He said he later got in touch with a guide runner who helped him get his confidence back. Harrison is raising money for the UK sight loss charity, the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Julia Tysoe said the marathon would be "hugely rewarding" [BBC] Harrison's guide runner, Tysoe, said it was a "privilege and a pleasure" to do the marathon.