Blind York poet John Thomas has taken part in a very special celebration of his life and work.

An unexpected visitor turned up at a dinner at the Wilberforce Home for Blind and Disabled to celebrate John's 25 years there - an Eamon Andrews impersonator complete with red book.

And John, 42, took a trip back in time as his 25th anniversary evening became a This Is Your Life reconstruction.

John was found to be a poet after the home's manager Joan Addinall, listened to what had been previously dismissed as his incoherent mumbling, and discovered he was talking poetry.

Since then John has become a central figure in the home's poetry club, and has had work published in Pentacord, a volume of poetry by residents of the Wilberforce Home, which is available from Dillons bookshop.

Peter Stevens, support assistant, minibus driver and Eamon Andrews impersonator at the home, said: "It wasn't easy to put it together, but we got stuck into it and he absolutely loved it.

"He was delighted when he found out what was going on. He was overjoyed, and so was his mum."

The evening took John on a trip back through his life, remembering his family and friends, the good times and the bad times.

Moments recalled included memories such as riding a tandem with friends, being comforted during thunder storms and spending unhappy days at school.

Mr Stevens said: "John thought it was great. He is the life and soul of the party most of the time, and with this he joined in as only he can.

"John has been here nearly as long as anybody else, and in many ways he is the Wilberforce."

John's skill at poetry is continuing. He spends hours every week with his personal scribe, who records his ideas.

see COMMENT 'Double triumph'

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