WATCHING Wednesday’s Paralympic opening ceremony and standing with thousands of people in Tring at 1am to see High Wycombe’s five time judo Paralympian Ian Rose carry the Torch the night before, it was impossible not to be moved.

The Olympic Games, where South Bucks athletes excelled with five medals, were magnificent, but this has taken it up a notch or two because every single Paralympian is a winner, regardless of whether they come home with a medal round their necks.

They have triumphed over adversity in their lives to adapt to a lifestyle few of us could ever imagine.

Now the eyes of the world are upon them. A record 2.4 million tickets have been sold for the Games as Great Britain goes Paralympic crazy.

But we mustn’t let this just be a two-week jamboree where we doff our caps and speak in glowing terms about these athletes’ bravery and determination.

If we really want this Summer of Sport to leave a legacy, then it is down to every council, town planner, builder and architect to remember these people when they dream up their next scheme.

If you have ever tried getting around our towns and villages in a wheelchair, or using public transport in a ‘wheelie’, you will realise that disabled people are having to overcome tough hurdles every day – not just for two weeks in the Olympic Stadium.