164.8mph

Billy Baxter (aka Billy the Whizz) who is totally blind, took the blind solo land speed record with a record breaking 164.8 mph on a motorcycle, achieved on Saturday 02 August 2003, along the runway at QinetiQ, MOD Boscombe Down, Wiltshire.
The existing motorcycle record stood at 78.4 mph. Billy also broke the overall blind solo land speed record, which stood at 141 mph, achieved in a car by a sighted man wearing a blindfold. Billy is now officially the fastest blind man on the planet.

Billy smashed the record to raise awareness of St Dunstan's, the charity funded solely by public generosity that provides independence through rehabilitation and training for Blind ex-Service men and women.

Billy was riding completely solo on an unmodified Kawasaki Ninja ZX12R. Billy's eyes for the attempt took the form of two outriders from the Royal Artillery Motorcycle Display Team, who gave Billy verbal direction through a three way voice activated communication system.

"If I could bottle how I feel I would be a millionaire, I wanted to win the record back for the blind and show the public what the blind and visually impaired can achieve with training," commented Billy on his high-octane achievement.

To support Billy's challenge and the St Dunstan's Blind Ambition Campaign please call 01980 592 935 or donate online at www.st-dunstans.org.uk For further information please contact Anna Robinson or Rebecca Shadwell in the Press Office on 0207 723 5021 or e-mail press@st-dunstans.org.uk

Blind man caught speeding at 164.8mph