The courage and tenacity of Nicholas Killen has never been in any doubt. Nine years ago, when he was six, the Shipley youngster faced an operation which for some people could have had devastating consequences. He was found to be suffering from a rare form of cancer, retino-blastoma. To save his life, his eyes had to be removed.

Nicholas demonstrated from the very start that he was made of "the right stuff". In the weeks before his operation, and with one eye already lost, he worked hard to fulfil an ambition: to gain all five badges in his Beaver troop.

With a little help and support from his friends, he achieved in seven weeks something that normally takes nine months. It was typical of the fighting spirit which touched the hearts of so many people.

Nine years on, that same spirit is on course to help Nicholas make a name for himself in the judo world. The skill and remarkable determination which have enabled him to compete successfully against sighted people have taken him into the world of international competition and could win him a place in the British Paralympics squad. He is already a member of the British boys' Goalball squad.

And just to prove that there are brains to go with all this sporting prowess, he is taking some of his GCSEs a year early.

Nicholas deserves warmest congratulations on his tremendous progress so far, and best wishes for the future. And he deserves thanks, too, for being such an outstanding example to the rest of us of how the human spirit can rise above difficulties and disabilities.