THE potential obstacles facing blind and partially sighted people in Newport were experienced first hand by a city MP and AM.

Jess Morden and John Griffiths, MP and AM respectively for Newport East, donned sight restricting spectacles for a tour of the city centre.

Aided by Granville Vaughan, who is blind, lives in Somerton, Newport and campaigns on behalf of people with sight problems, and Diana Evans, who is partially sighted and is a rehab worker for Gwent Association for the Blind, the pair got a first hand experience of the perils of negotiating kerbs, street furniture, and obstacles such as scaffolding, and found out how difficult it can be to carry out business in places such as the post office.

"Newport is developing, and it is important that the needs of blind and partially sighted people, indeed of disabled people generally, should be incorporated at the design stage," said Ms Morden.

"It's only when you do something like this that you realise how hard it must be for people to have to negotiate what can often be unforgiving environments.

"In a lot of areas these days there are no lips on the pavements, so it can be very difficult to tell if you are walking in the road or not."

Mr Griffiths called the experience "very alarming" and a big challenge both physically and mentally.

"I don't know how people cope, and this was an invaluable insight," he said.

"Jess and I deal with correspondence from people with sight problems regularly and it is important to have a better understanding of the challenges they face."

Mr Vaughan, 63, completely blind as a result of an hereditary eye disorder, said the walkabout had gone well.

"Full marks to Jess and John for taking part," he said.