BLIND sportsman Steve Cunningham has thanked a thief who returned his stolen phone.

Mr Cunningham was drinking in the Cricketers pub in Middleton Road, Banbury, when his special phone was taken from his coat pocket.

It has been adapted for use by visually-impaired people, and is one of only a few in the country.

He said: "It wasn't until I got home that I realised the phone had gone.

"It had all my business contacts on it and messages from my children. I would have been lost without it.

"I rang the pub and spoke to Sara Morgan, the land- lady, and told her what had happened.

"She sent a text to the stolen phone telling the thief that he had taken a blind person's link with the world, and asked him to return it.

"My wife sent texts to just about everyone she knew, asking them to spread the word - and they did.

"Two days later a 'messenger' took the phone to the pub, saying he had been asked to drop it in'.

"I don't want to know who took it.

"I'm just grateful to all the people who rallied round to help, and to a thief with a conscience."

Mr Cunningham, of Princethorpe Drive, said: "The Cricketers is my local. It's a great place."

Landlord John Morgan said: "Thanks must go to everyone who got involved. They really created quite a fuss and the thief realised he had made a mistake, and sent the phone back."

The phone contains special software and talks to the user. It reads incoming text messages out loud, and also reads outgoing texts so that Mr Cunningham can check their accuracy before sending.

The phone also reads its menu lists, so the user knows when to stop while scrolling up or down.

The software was developed after Mr Cunningham complained to communications company Orange that phone companies were breaking the Disability Discrimination Act.

He took the opportunity after Orange sponsored one of his fundraising adven- tures.

Mr Cunningham, 44, went blind at the age of 12.

In 2004, he became the first blind pilot to fly a light aircraft around the UK.

Mr Cunningham's next project is to fly a helicopter from Paris to London and will make the attempt in September.