Tennis ball
A soundball costs four times more than a regular tennis ball
A North East man is helping blind and visually impaired people fulfil their dreams of playing sport.
Paul Martin, from South Shields, has set up The North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club.
"Sound Tennis" enables those who are completely blind or with minimal sight play the game, by using a tennis ball which makes a noise when bounced.
The group, the only one in the region, meets at Silksworth in Sunderland on Friday evenings.
A soundball costs four times more than a regular tennis ball
Paul Martin was born with congenital cataracts
Paul Martin was born with congenital cataracts and had over 36 operations between the age of two and eight.
He lost his right eye during an operation and was given and artificial eye. Now, aged 35, he only has 15-20% vision in his left eye.
He attended the Royal National College for the blind in Hereford to study sports, and has always been a competitive sportsperson.
Helping somebody do what they want to do, that is what I lovePaul Martin
Mr Martin said: "I got involved because I am visually impaired myself and I was looking for something new and something to compete in because I love competitive sport.
"When I found out about blind tennis, I thought it sounded interesting and something good to do.
"The visually impaired world is very small in the North East and meeting other people out there is great. Helping somebody do what they want to do, that is what I love."
The group is the only one in the region to play sound tennis, with the only other group at Metro Blind Sports in London.
Tennis for blind and partially sighted people uses the normal rules of tennis but players use a short tennis or junior racquet.
Paul Martin
Paul Martin was born with congenital cataracts
The tennis ball is called a soundball, as it has ball bearings inside so that the ball can be heard by the players when it is bounced.
Someone who is visually impaired is allowed two bounces before they hit the ball.
Anyone totally blind or severely blind can have up to three bounces before they hit the ball back over the net.
Mr Martin is the treasurer of the group and believes it is important to raise awareness and help visually impaired people play sports.
He said: "I have always been interested in sports and I love competing. I've competed in football, athletics and cricket, it's just something I have a love for.
"It's a competitive sport. Anybody out there who enjoys sport would understand that it doesn't matter if you're an able person, or you've got a disability of any sort.
"If you love sport or do anything and it's something you enjoy, you know you want to do it."
The North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club takes place on Friday's at Silksworth from 6-7pm and costs £2.50.
For more information visit Silksworth Sports Complex and Ski Slope
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