A PICKERING ukelele player has won a new pair of hearing aids.

James Lishman, 87, was chosen to win a free pair of digital hearing aids from high street hearing shop Hidden Hearing. The award was part of the National Campaign for Better Hearing, to help raise awareness of the benefits of having regular hearing tests from the age of 55.

Mr Lishman was nominated by audiologist Louise Robinson at the Hidden Hearing centre in York.

He has suffered from hearing loss for more than 25 years and believes a big reason for this was being involved in a premature misfire shortly after the Second World War.

This led to Mr Lishman struggling to hear friends and family, and he found it difficult to hear himself play his ukulele alongside his band members.

Mr Lishman said: “When I got the call I joked, ‘Will you put it in writing? I don’t believe it.’

“I’ve had so many let downs, illnesses and operations in my life, so it was such a great feeling to win something that would improve my quality of life.

“Now that I have my hearing aids I can take away so much more pleasure from performing my ukulele in front of audiences.

“I have a wonderful family, friends, band mates and I am looking forward to enjoying the future and being able to engage with anyone and everyone.”