A DISABLED teenager's wish to see a team from Okehampton on his favourite TV show is a step closer to reality now it has reached the audition stage.

Peter Erickson-Hull, 15, made an appeal in the Okehampton Times in January for residents with a sense of fun and taste for adventure to put their names forward for Channel Five's cult series 'Fort Boyard'.

The show, which is a cross between 'The Crystal Maze' and 'Gladiators', is open to contestants between the ages of 20 and 40 — and within a few days of the appeal Peter got a response from local resident Chris Hodgson.

London marathon runner Chris called on a few of his physically fit friends and acquaintances who were all prepared to rise to the challenge. His team of five has been shortlisted to audition for the show tomorrow (Friday) in Bristol.

To cheer on a team of locals is the next best thing to taking part for Peter who suffers from cerebral palsy. His mother, Chrissie, said he was 'absolutely thrilled' the team had been shortlisted from thousands of entries.

Around 200 teams will be auditioned throughout the country to find the 16 to take on the challenges of the Fort.

'None of the team had seen the show until Pete showed them a video,' said Chrissie. 'We cannot get Channel Five in Okehampton but Pete used to watch Fort Boyard all the time before we moved here last year.'

She said her son was really 'egging on' the team and had given them a lot of incentive. They had all become firm friends.

Peter is a talented sportsman and swims for the England Cerebral Palsy Squad — his ambition is to compete in the Paralympics.

Chris Hodgson said if there was any way the youngster could have competed in Fort Boyard he would have conquered it long before the team could.

'We are doing this for Pete,' he said. 'We are a group of like-minded people who are fit and prepared to rise to the challenge and respond to Pete's needs but he is very much the mastermind behind this.

'Fort Boyard is Pete's number one subject — what he does not know is not worth knowing.'

The other team members are Robert Deane, Nik Foster, Sam Clifford, Sara Green and Justine Shone.

Chris said it was a very good team who would put 101 per cent into it.

'We will face a physical assessment, team games and mental challenges at the audition, but we will deal with anything that is thrown at us,' he added.