Andrew Bailey loves literature, but he hasn't been able to read a book since he began to lose his eyesight 15 years ago.
But the 34-year-old may soon have his favourite works of fiction in his life again, after hoards of people have responded to an advert he placed in a bookshop window for volunteer readers.
“There’s been a huge empty space in my life”, Bailey said in the note, which he asked his carer to place in Foyle’s Bookshop in South Bank, London, a few weeks ago.
"I got much pleasure from reading and would love to find somebody to read for me."
The note received little response until local man Dec Munro saw Bailey’s plea and posted a photo of the note on Twitter on Saturday. Munro’s tweet has since been retweeted 1,400 times, and counting.
According to the BBC, one of Bailey’s carers, Anastasia Umerah, said on Sunday there had already been dozens of offers of help.
Bailey lost his eyesight due to the degenerative, inherited condition Friedreich's ataxia. He has been using a wheelchair since he was 11 years old and was registered as blind five years ago.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Bailey, who read American Studies at Northampton University, said his favourite authors were John Grisham, Sue Townsend and Charles Dickens.
"I was a bit stunned by the response," he added. “I wasn’t expecting so many responses, it is quite overwhelming."