Blind author publishes first book aged 90

A 90-year-old blind man has written a book set in the volatile years of conflict in the early 20th Century, after receiving support from a veterans' charity.

Robert Astington, from East Grinstead, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in his 40s - a genetic condition which causes progressive vision loss.

For the Love of a Child, the first book he has penned, explores the lives of three ordinary families swept up in the upheavals of war.

Proceeds from the book will be donated to several charities including Blind Veterans UK, who helped the book become a reality.

Astington, who started writing the book during the Covid pandemic, said he lost his sight completely by the time he was 70.

"I had the opportunity to adjust because I was losing my sight very slowly and I went through periods of deep depression because the thought of going blind is not a nice thing", he said.

He described himself as "lucky", as he knows people who had lost their sight in an instant.

Astington completed national service from 1959 -61, which qualified him to become a member of Blind Veterans UK.

He uses special computer programs that read to him while he types and another that will read text from the screen.

He said as well as a hard copy of his novel, it was important to have an audio book recorded so it would be available for people with serious sight impairments, dyslexia or who are blind.

Speaking about his book, Astington said it was "a story that demonstrates how the lives of people changed through being separated through warfare".

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