THIRTEEN young people who are either registered blind or partially-sighted took to the racetrack in a specially-organised track day yesterday.

As part of The Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB) recently established “Adventurers Group”, thirteen people aged between 18 and 30 from across the North-East took part in an exhilarating day of racing.

The track day, which was held at the Teesside Autodrome, South Bank, near Middlesbrough, saw members of the group trying their hand in using dual-controlled racing cars, with some members of the group reaching speeds of up to 70mph.

Each member of the group was given a training session and a run-through of the racing car’s controls before setting off with an instructor on the almost one-and-a-half mile Teesside circuit.

After the event, one of the group’s leaders, 28-year-old Sidney Tambin from County Durham, said: “I had an amazing day, it was an incredible experience to drive the cars around the track.

“It’s empowering being part of the Adventurers Group where we are all blind or partially sighted because we get to do so many exciting things. I’m looking forward to our next adventure.”

The RNIB’s Adventurers Group was set up towards the end of last year as a means to help the country’s young people meet other people with similar vision impairments.

The charity, which claims every six minutes someone in the UK begins to lose their sight, said the group had been given their first taste of driving during yesterday's track day.

Lewis Winton, the regional campaigns and community facilitator at the RNIB in the North-East, said: “The Adventurers group is a great opportunity for young people with vision impairment to build up vital social and support networks, while also challenging other people’s perceptions about what is possible.

“By taking part in fun and boundary-pushing activities – such as race car driving or wall climbing – this group is a chance for young people to get together and try new things.

“It also helps the public see what young people with vision impairment are really capable of too.”

The group’s track day was organised by Speed of Sight, a charity formed specifically to provide driving days for people who are blind and people with disabilities.

The charity, which says it focusses on what people "can do" rather than what they "can’t", has become known across the country for its work with those suffering visual impairments.

Yesterday, the RNIB said the track day had been held just weeks after the group took part in a ten-pin bowling session in Newcastle and a wall climbing session in Sunderland.

Last year, the RNIB said outdated views towards the abilities of the blind and partially-sighted played a factor in people feeling excluded, following a survey carried out in the North-East.

The RNIB said the track day had been held just weeks after the group took part in a ten-pin bowling in Newcastle and climbing in Sunderland.

Last year the RNIB said outdated views towards the abilities of the blind and partially-sighted played a factor in people feeling excluded, following a survey carried out in the North-East.