SINCE her musical ability was spotted at school when she was a teenager, Dorothy Oliver has had a passion for singing.

But sadly, at times, her sight loss has stood in the way of her pursuing her singing goals.

Today, however, the 64-year-old is in fine voice with the Southampton Choral Society, and is celebrating three years with the choir.

Dorothy was a premature baby and unfortunately, when she was born it was not known that giving too much oxygen to a tiny infant could cause permanent sight damage.

Dorothy grew up only able to distinguish bright colours.

While she was at school her singing ability was spotted and she was given private singing lessons, and won prizes in local music festivals.

She wanted to share her love of music with the world, but unfortunately, she did not begin to learn Braille until she went to the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, at the age of 14.

Because of her late start, she wasn’t able to take the necessary qualifications to go to music college to pursue her dream of being a music teacher, and had to accept that singing could only be a hobby for her.

However, this has not always been easy.

“A number of years ago I attended an audition for a choir and was told that although I had a nice voice, I couldn’t be in the choir,” she says.

“They said ‘we can’t have a blind person in the choir. She may come in at the wrong place.’

“I felt very downcast at the time. I’m so glad to have overcome this by trying again in Southampton.”

Dorothy joined Southampton Choral Society in January 2015, and, having recently moved to Salisbury, now makes a weekly 50 mile round trip to be part of the choir – and she definitely thinks it’s worth it.

“At first it was rather daunting, but following a chat with our musical director, Peter Gambie, I soon felt very much at home,” she says.

“I enjoy singing very much and feel so privileged to belong to this large and friendly choir.

“Our conductor has been a great support to my needs, and I value his understanding very much.”

Dorothy reads Braille, and if the lyrics she needs to sing aren’t already available in Braille, members or the choir type them up for her and she sends them to the Royal National Institute of the Blind, who translate them into Braille for her.

And as for coming in at the wrong time, Dorothy says it simply hasn’t been an issue.

“Anyone can make a mistake, whether they can see or not,” she says.

“I listen to the people around me, and to the conductor, and I have a good memory.

“But I have a rule: if in doubt, don’t sing!”

As well as loving singing, Dorothy says the camaraderie of the choir makes being part of it special, and worth the train journey to attend.

“It’s really nice to be part of a group of like-minded people. Disability isn’t a barrier here as long as you can sing. It’s not about your disability, it’s about your singing ability.

“But I couldn’t be part of it if it wasn’t the support that I receive from te people here, and the choir really deserves praise for that.

“On some Monday nights, I wonder if I can be bothered to make the journey to rehearsals but then I get there, get my head down, and I love it. The singing is electric.

“In the choir, I’m not Dorothy who is blind. I’m Dorothy who is in the choir, the same as anyone else. I’m no different to anyone else, and I love that. We don’t have labels in the choir.”

Dorothy’s next performance with the Southampton Choral Society will be on March 17 at the O2 Guildhall in Southampton, at T a special concert marking the centenary of the end of the First World War. The choir will sing The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins accompanied by the Concert Band of the Royal Marines Association, and also the UK premiere of a work by American composer Judith Shatin on the theme of war and peace.