BOWLING has given a partially sighted Forester a "brand new lease of life" and he's now working to raise money so he can represent England on the international stage.

Paul Davis from Harrow Hill lost most of his sight after a mushroom shaped and malignant brain tumour was removed in 1992 during an 11 hour operation which left him in a coma.

"I do have some sight," says Paul. "There's nothing really wrong with my eyes, it's the parts of my brain that translate what my eyes are seeing. I've got a form of multiple sight. I see anything from three or four images all at once, some shadowy, and some as though you're looking through a dirty mirror. I tend to have a permanent headache, partly because of the amount of radiation I went through and partly because I'm using what sight I've got trying to focus."

After returning home and becoming almost "a hermit" Paul visited the specialist Forge Centre in nearby Foxes Bridge Road, Cinderford, where he studied to read and write in Braille, has started a gardening course and took up outdoor bowling. He now plays regularly at Steam Mills.

"I must admit I did think it was a bit of an old man's sport," admitted Paul. "But it has given me a new lease of life and I've met people from all walks of life."

Bowling for both partially sighted and entirely blind is far from easy. Bowlers can't see the woods and have to judge by feel and sound how fast and far they're bowling. They're guided to the position of their wood, the jack and their opponent's woods but it is then down to remember the position of everything.

"It's a bit like putting together a mental clock," says Paul. "With the bowls at six o'clock or five o'clock. Although it is quite hard to remember everything, that doesn't mean the games aren't competitive – they are."

It's not the first time Paul's been chosen to play for England, last time round his team lost out to Scotland. But this time round he's joining a team of 12, some blind and some amputees, competing against Australia, South Africa, Canada and Scotland in Israel from May 2.

To get there, he has to raise some of £2,000 in travel costs. He's already had help from friends, family, landscape gardener, Forest Talk and Andy Goodman of Blooming Good, but desperately needs more support.