A LORD mayor and a council chairman learned the pitfalls of being blind when they helped to highlight a campaign yesterday.

Councillor John Marshall, Lord Mayor of Newcastle, and Councillor Jeff Gray, chairman of Easington District Council, donned blindfolds and relied on guide dogs to lead them past obstacles in their respective areas.

The events were organised to highlight the Guide Dogs Safer Streets campaign, run by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, whose research shows that more than a million blind and partially-sighted people risk serious injury simply by walking along the street.

It aims to encourage town planners, retailers, owners of bars and restaurants, and the public, to consider blind people's needs by not placing obstacles in their way.

Derek Thorpe, a guide dog owner and fundraising manager for the charity, said: "This is the second year of the Guide Dogs Safer Streets campaign, and it is frustrating that, despite the efforts and support of utility companies and nearly a third of local authorities in 2002, many street hazards remain.

"Guide dogs are trained to safely navigate obstacles but when, for example, street furniture become a moving obstruction, the guide dog and owner are put in danger."