TV Dragon steps out for blinded Pc's charity

star of Dragons' Den Duncan Bannatyne joined hundreds of well-wishers who braved pouring rain to support the policeman blinded by gunman Raoul Moat yesterday.

The millionaire entrepreneur joined Pc David Rathband in a blindfold walk up the Northumberland Coast, to raise money for The Blue Lamp Foundation.

The charity was founded by the injured officer to support emergency services staff injured in the line of duty.

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About three hundred people, including members of Pc Rathband’s family and fellow police officers, joined the sponsored “goodwill stroll” from Seaton Sluice to Blyth, four miles away.

The 42-year-old lost his sight in both eyes after he was blasted while sitting unarmed in a patrol car on an A1 roundabout on July 4 by on-the-run murderer Moat.

Mr Bannatyne, who is patron of the Blue Lamp Foundation, said: “Who would not want to support this? David’s courage since he was blinded has been phenomenal.

“He asked me to be patron of the charity and I thought it was a good idea, then he invited me to walk four miles up the coast with him, blindfolded. What he did not tell me was that it would be pouring down, but if he can do it, then we all can.”

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Pc Rathband, who organised the walk on Facebook, said: “Today is about decent, right-minded people getting together to show they care about what happens to the people who put their lives on the line every day of their working lives for the British public.”

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