JAMES CATCHPOLE, the man who has set up a new football team for amputees, says the deepest wound when you lose a limb is the mental one.

Whatever anyone says, we are a body-conscious society and the loss of a leg or an arm would deeply affect many.

The initial reaction for some would be to hide away, but Mr Catchpole and his fellow players are tackling that understandable compulsion.

He says that by playing with the aid of crutches and without a prosthetic limb, the team are putting themselves out there visually with nowhere to hide. But such is their love of the game and their pride in themselves, they are willing to ignore anyone else’s preconceptions and just get on with it. And they show some startling athleticism, utilising their three remaining limbs.

Many of us moan about our lot but Mr Catchpole and his friends really put it all into perspective.

We wish them every success.