THE success of haemophiliac Tony David in winning the Embassy World Darts Championship should give hope to fellow sufferers that they too can succeed in sport, says Sutton Courtenay's former Paralympic champion Ian Hayden.

And he should know, having won four golds and three silvers in an international career that stretched over 12 years, ten of which were as British champion at discus, javelin and shot.

He said: "It's fantastic. It's going to open up a lot of doors. I love watching it. I used to play darts myself.

"I would say to other haemophiliacs 'never say you can't'.

"I don't see why more people with haemophilia don't take part in non-contact sports. I like watching sport on TV - it's now my only contact with the outside world."

Hayden, who represented Great Britain at the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul, the World Championships and the 1992 Games in Barcelona, was a keen athlete at school. He was diagnosed as a haemophiliac - a condition which causes severe bleeding from even a slight injury - in 1970, after he had joined the army.

He was invalided out after suffering severe injuries to his back, legs and shoulders when he was attacked while on sentry duty.

Hayden, who later owned a fishing tackle shop in Abingdon, became interested in disabled sport when he was invited to attend the launch of the International Year of the Disabled.

His success started after joining the Vale of White Horse Association in 1986, winning 39 of the 40 events in the shot, javelin and discus during his first season.

In 1987, he represented Great Britain in an international competition in Belgium, where he set two world records in the discus and shot.

The next year, Hayden was selected for the Paralympics in Seoul, South Korea, where he won two golds and a silver.

But in 1991, Hayden, who competed using crutches in the 1990 World Championships, suffered another blow when doctors told him he would have to compete from a wheelchair.

Undaunted, Hayden, who was then working for Royal Mail, carried on and in 1992 won two golds and a silver medal at the Paralympics in Barcelona.

In 1994, Hayden's contribution was recognised with an MBE. He followed that up by powering his wheelchair from John O'Groats to Land's End to raise money for charity.

He was forced to retire from the international arena in 1996 when he injured his back during qualifying for the Atlanta Paralympics.

"I had the most wonderful 12 years you could imagine," he said.

Hayden continued to play sport, winning a number of seated golf tournaments in Sweden, Germany and France.

"I managed to get my handicap down to single figures, but it started to affect my back," he added.

In 1998, his worsening condition saw him sell his fishing tackle business.

He and his wife Daphne formed the disabled charity All About Ability, before they set up a children's nursery in Wallingford, which is run by their daughter Sarah-Jayne.

Hayden, who enjoys watching sport on TV, has just put the finishing touches to his book about his John O' Groats to Land's End exploits.