A 31-year-old blind man from Newbury has appeared in a BBC film after a near miss with a vehicle whilst picking up his sister from school.

Devante Claridge was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an incurable condition that affects the retina, when he was a child.

Before the near miss, Devante said that he hadn’t admitted to himself that he needed help but that it prompted him to contact Guide Dogs.

BBC Lifeline Appeal for Guide Dogs featured three people whose lives were changed by their charity after different turning points in their lives.

The Newbury man explained that after he was partnered with his Golden Retriever Labrador Cross, Mack, it ‘opened up the world to him and gave him his independence back’.

Devante said: “I can now independently and confidently walk around at night, which was one of my biggest fears and affected me so much. Now I feel at ease because I know I have Mack right next to me guiding the way.

“He’s opened up the world to me in more ways than I ever thought possible”

Now that he has discovered the benefits of having Mack, Devante has diverted his passion towards raising awareness that younger people also have sight loss.

He is now working with local community groups across neighboring counties including MyVision in Oxfordshire.

West End Actress Wendi Peters, who donates her time to the charity, presented the show on behalf of Guide Dogs.

She said: “Being a dog owner myself, I know the huge benefits dogs can bring to people’s lives. I’m proud to have been an Ambassador for the charity since 2012 and over the years I’ve seen how these extraordinary animals can transform lives.

“Guide Dogs have developed a wide range of services with and without dogs to support people living with a vision impairment. Children and adults. Friends and family. They’re a charity, almost entirely funded by donations so I hope people will watch this Lifeline Appeal to learn more about how Guide Dogs help people with sight loss to live actively, independently and well.”

Devante describes the near miss when he didn’t see the car as he was standing at the side of the road as a ‘turning point’

Now he has his independence back, and Devante can go for drinks with his friends or to goalball matches without worrying about how he's going to get there.