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AN avid rock climber and war veteran has refused to let his failing sight keep him from his passion after he took to a climbing wall again at the age of 95.

Jim Thomson, of Avoch, has led an extremely active life rock climbing across the world having first caught the climbing and hillwalking bug after completing his war service with the Royal Navy in 1946.

Despite losing his sight to macular degeneration he has continued to enjoy walking into his old age.

And, thanks to the charities Scottish War Blinded and Blind Veterans UK, he was recently able to indulge his other passion for climbing after taking to an indoor wall at Edinburgh International Climbing Arena.

“I’ve climbed in the Alps, Corsica and the Balkans. It was just being outdoors, I just loved it,” he said.

“Rock climbing was my interest for a number of decades and I was interested to find out if I still had the ability to do at least some climbing once more.

“I was apprehensive having not climbed for many years. But I managed to get to the top of one of the walls, so I felt that was my success. It was what I was hoping to do.

“It’s very hard, but sight loss doesn’t come into it too much as you’re using a lot of touch.”

The father-of-three and great-grandfather first began to experience issues with his sight six years ago, and says he is coming to accept and adapt to the impact of his vision impairment. He still enjoys the outdoors whenever he can.

His sight loss vision and military background made him eligible for Scottish War Blinded’s support. Since he became a member of the charity last year, he has been on trips organised by it. He also attends the charity’s Tain lunch group. He said: “Scottish War Blinded helps me with meeting friends and making memories and takes you to places you might not have gone before.”

Visit www.scottishwarblinded.org or call 0800 035 6409 to refer a veteran to the charity.

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