A WOMAN who lost her sight 18 years ago has been given the chance to see again - thanks to an amazing new device bought for her by North Yorkshire charities.

Pat Onions, of Pickering, has been registered blind since losing almost all of her sight at the age of 32.

But now, aged 50, she has been able to read books and see pictures again, after local charities teamed up to buy her a new reading aid called a Maxport.

The £1,300 device was bought for her using money donated by the charities after they were approached by Scarborough and Ryedale Carers' Resource, who deal with Pat because she is a carer for her disabled husband, David.

"It is just wonderful; I can't say enough thanks to the people who helped me to get it," said Pat, of Westgate.

"I've been able to read my favourite things again - Gardener's World Magazine, a newsletter about Irish setter dogs, and your newspaper!"

The Maxport, which looks like a pair of spectacles, works by magnifying words by up to 28 times.

It plugs in like a computer mouse, and scans the page which the user wants to read. Although it takes a long time to read a page, Pat says it has given her back a crucial part of her life.

The cash was contributed by four charities: the Royal British Legion and Royal Navy benevolent funds; Communicability, which helps people with communication problems; and the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers.

The British Legion and Navy groups were keen to help out because David, 53, served on HMS Newcastle and HMS Ark Royal before becoming disabled. He now suffers from arthritis of the spine.

Pat wants to say a big thank you to the people who helped provide the machine, particularly the staff at the Pickering base of Scarborough and Ryedale Carers' Resource.

She added: "The machine is just brilliant; it really has transformed my life. I was living in my own little world before.

"Now, I can read packets of seed, which is my biggest passion, and I can see that Alan Titchmarsh is as good-looking as ever!"

David added: "I can't describe how good it is. I keep seeing her reading things and smiling to herself."

Updated: 09:30 Wednesday, October 09, 2002