A TEENAGER who went blind in a weekend is preparing to jump out of an aeroplane for charity despite his disability -- and his extreme fear of heights.

Michael Harrison, 17, is appealing to local businesses to help fund the 10,000ft skydive, to raise money for the The Royal Blind Society

The brave youngster, of Badger Close, Padiham, lost his sight last summer when he was diagnosed with incurable Leber's Optic Neuropathy.

Health experts believe he is the only boy in East Lancashire with the symptoms of the disease, which affects only one in 30,000 aged between 16 to 24.

The Burnley College student who plans to go airborne next month cannot afford to pay for the dive, which will cost £375.

Donating £200 will buy a blind person a talking microwave and giving as much as £1,000 can buy equipment to help a blind child learn how to read.

Michael said he is expecting the jump at Black Knights Parachute Centre, at Cockerham, near Lancaster, to be "extra scary" because he cannot see. The teenager lost his sight when he woke one morning last August with an orange film over his left eye restricting his vision.

The following day he could not see out of it at all. And by Monday morning the same had happened to his right eye and doctors broke the news he would never see again.

Michael said: "I am terrified of heights and planes so I'm not quite sure why I decided to do this.

"I love thrills I suppose. I just wanted to do something a bit different which would raise a lot of money. No-one has heard of the The Royal Blind Society. No-one realises how much they can do for people or how much money they need to do it.

"I will be scared but it will be worth it. I wish I had done it when I could see. But it could be even scarier this way. I hope to raise lots of money. At least £400 would be great, which can fund a specialist day trip for a blind child.

"I just need help with paying for the dive. I haven't got the money. And I don't want to take it out of the sponsorship. I want all that to go to The Royal Blind Society."

To help, contact Michael on 07904 369384.