By Aysha Iqbal BBC News, Plymouth

David Wrighton spent two years recovering from the accident

A former paratrooper who lost his sight after a frontline mission that went wrong is hoping to be selected for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

David Wrighton of Torbay is training for selection in the sailing category.

He was 21 when he was sent on a mission to Malaya. While making a parachute jump, he crashed into a tree.

"I broke virtually every bone in my body except my arms. I was in a coma and partially paralysed," he said.

David spent two years in hospital recovering his physical health and coming to terms with the news that damage to his optical nerve meant that he would eventually lose his sight.

When you are blind, you have to put all your other senses into whatever you are doing David Wrighton

Despite the bleak news, he said he was determined to make it through.

"I had been in the military and we had always been taught to win. Losing wasn't even an option for me. It was a winning mindset that got me through.

"I have always been an achiever. I don't believe in defeat.

"If I can complete in the Paralympics it will prove to me that I can still do it, that I can still compete.

"It will be another goal I have accomplished."

Such was Mr Wrighton's positive attitude that despite his deteriorating sight, David returned to skydiving soon after leaving hospital.

Despite losing his sight, Mr Wrighton abseils and races powerboats

Today he is qualified to be a blind sailing instructor, is a regular powerboat racer, abseils for charity and has run two London marathons.

"I believe if you have good physical health you will have good mental health. I like to set myself challenging goals and then focus on them one hundred percent."

Now at 68, he is determined to prove to British selectors that he is fit and can meet the demands for representing his country.

He is currently training 11 hours each day in the Solent with a British training coach and other sailors.

"When you are blind, you have to put all your other senses into whatever you are doing.

"For example, I don't wear gloves when sailing because I can then feel the texture of the ropes that tells me which rope is which.

"I trim the sails by listening to them. You have to use every sense you have," he said.