STICKLEPATH woman Janet Shilston got the chance to meet a man she has long admired last week, when she encountered Falklands hero Simon Weston.

Mrs Shilston, the grandmother of nine-year-old Kieran Shilston who sustained 60% burns to his body after falling into a bath of hot water when he was just 18 months old, met burns-victim Mr Weston OBE in Exeter.

Mr Weston was in the county last week to give a talk to members of Devon WI at the Northcott Theatre, Exeter.

Mrs Shilston said she was pleased to meet Simon as it gave her a chance to talk about Kieran?s medical condition with someone who understood the pain he encountered.

She said: ?It was a wonderful experience. We were able to compare notes about Kieran and Simon?s condition. Simon had 46% burns whereas Kieran had 60%, but they have gone through a lot of similar things.?

Mrs Shilston said it had been a ?big ambition? of hers to meet Simon, whose progress she had followed since her grandson?s accident.

?I was overwhelmed,? she said, ?He is a fantastic man to meet, he?s very down to earth.?

Kieran wasn?t able to attend the evening, but he wrote a card to Simon, who told Janet he would definitely arrange a meeting with Kieran in the near future.

Simon also gave Janet a signed copy of his new book with a message for both Kieran and his gran.

The meeting was made possible thanks to friend Eve Collins, of Spreyton, who had read a newspaper interview where Janet said she had always wanted to meet Simon Weston.

Although the event was a WI members-only event, Mrs Collins got special permission from the county office for Janet to attend.

Another member of the public, Mrs Marianne Edwards from Tiverton, was also moved to contact Janet to make the generous offer to give up her ticket to allow her to attend.

Mr Weston gave a talk followed by a question and answer session in front of an enthralled audience last Thursday.

In 1982, Simon was aboard the ship, Sir Galahad, when it was bombed by Argentine planes during the Falklands conflict. He suffered severe burns which have required a series of operations in the years since.

As Kieran?s body is still growing, he will have to have regular operations until he is 18-years-old, when they should be much less frequent.