Council honours disabled sailor

Mrs Lister took up sailing after a friend recommended a club

A paralysed woman who became the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the English Channel has been honoured by Kent County Council.

Hilary Lister, from Canterbury, used mouth controls to navigate her boat from England to France in August.

The council presented her with a glass plaque to commemorate her achievement and a cheque for £1,500 towards her next project - a round-Britain trip.

"It feels like flying when I am in a boat," said Mrs Lister, 33.

Hilary's achievement shows that with the right support, anything is possible Michael Bishop

"It is the most incredible sense of freedom and achievement - it is just what I live to do."

She told the story of her journey in a question and answer session at Monday's reception.

Mrs Lister began sailing at Westbere Sailing Opportunities in Kent.

Children from The Orchard special school, in Canterbury, who also sail there, presented her with a bouquet at the reception.

"Hilary's achievement shows that with the right support, back-up, funding and determination to go out and give it a go, anything is possible," said Michael Bishop, the council's disability sports manager.

Hilary Lister is welcomed at Kent County Council

Mrs Lister has been a quadriplegic for four years as a result of a progressive degenerative disease, reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

She can now move only her head, eyes and mouth and took up sailing two years ago as a way to boost her self-confidence.

The mechanism she uses to sail the boat has two straws connected to switches - one controls the sails and the other is attached to the tiller which steers the vessel.

By completing the Channel crossing Mrs Lister set a record for the world's longest solo sail by a quadriplegic.

She hopes to be able to begin the six-week trip round Britain next June.

"It will obviously be a much longer trip so I will have to build myself up for it and get in lots of training before I start," she said.