THE husband of a Paralympian who wrote a book about his wife’s sporting success has received the Royal seal of approval.

Mal Morgan sent The Queen a signed copy of the biography, Lawn Green and Gold, three weeks ago.

Much to his surprise, the Carterton pensioner and wife Madge, of Alvescot Road, have now received a letter from Buckingham Palace, thanking them for the gift.

Mr Morgan said: “I never thought I would have an answer back, but we have got a lovely letter, saying she liked the book.

“We were surprised. She must get thousands of letters.”

The 86-year-old great-grand father gathered together the material for the book over 20 years, to tell the story of his wife’s extraordinary life.

The book chronicles Mrs Morgan’s journey, from her introduction to bowls as her sight started to fail in the late 1960s, through to representing her country in the sport.

Mrs Morgan, who was registered blind in 1976 following a battle with advanced glaucoma, said sight loss had not been a barrier to achievement.

The 85-year-old added that her life was transformed in 1999 when she was partnered with her Golden Retriever guide dog, Verity, now retired. Mrs Morgan went on to be awarded an MBE in 2007 for services to lawn bowls for visually-impaired people.

The couple met Princess Anne in February last year, when she opened Carterton’s £1.4m community centre.

Mr Morgan, who wrote the book with his friend Ron Mount, said: “Princess Anne saw the book in my hand and liked the look of it with me and Madge on the cover, so she had the first copy.

“The Queen gave Madge the MBE, so she’s entitled to a book as well.”

A spokesman at Buckingham Palace said: “The lady and gentleman kindly sent the book and they obviously received a letter back from The Queen, which really says it all, that it was received with thanks and gratitude.”

All proceeds from sales of Lawn Green to Gold go to the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity.

More than £1,000 has been raised so far.

The book is priced £6.99 and is available from Carterton’s Co-op supermarket, in Black Bourton Road.

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Mal and Madge Morgan have thanked their 12-year-old snow heroine Sophie Barnes.

Last week, the couple appealed for help to track down the Carterton Community College pupil, who had come to their rescue after they were snowed in at their home in Alvescot Road.

Sophie, who was helping her brother Ben on his Oxford Mail paper round, knocked on the Morgans’ door on Wednesday, January 7, to ask if they needed anything.

She then went with her mother Tracey to Somerfield to buy the couple bread and milk.

Mr Morgan, 86, said: “She was kind enough to go all the way to get the shopping. I thought it was great for a young person to do that.”

Sophie said: “I knew that Mal had struggled getting down the town, because of the weather, and I heard on the news they were asking people to help the elderly in the snow and the ice.

“I thought it would be nice to help them.”

Mrs Barnes, 39, of Braemar Close, Carterton, said: “Sophie walked down to Somerfield, which was the only place in Carterton that had milk.

“It was snowing and she had a bag full of newspapers.”

She added: “Sophie thinks they’re a lovely couple and just took it upon herself to knock on the door and make sure they were okay. I’m proud of her.”