Student finds donor in search for his voice

A student who uses text-to-speech software to communicate has selected two voices, which combined together will create his new voice.

Christian Wilson, who studies at the University of Worcester, has verbal dyspraxia, a difficulty in placing muscles in the correct position to produce speech.

He had been on a search for someone with a Birmingham and Warwickshire accent, as his late father was from Warwickshire and a Birmingham City supporter.

Mr Wilson said he was tired of sounding like a Star Wars character and, after receiving 15 voice submissions, has found two to blend into his own.

He described feeling emotional when he listened through to the voice submissions with his family.

"As I was listening to them, I knew I was getting closer to my dream, something that I thought never would happen.

"I hope to use my new voice to share my experiences with other people - that would be great," he said.

Mr Wilson's sister felt an instant connection to the Birmingham accent he selected for his new voice.

He said: "I liked the voice originally but when my sister heard it she said 'that is you'."

The student previously said to share an accent with his father, who died suddenly from an aortic aneurysm, would be a dream come true.

"I can’t remember my dad, but to have his voice would mean he could live on through me," said.

The two voices will now be combined by engineers at Speak Unique to create a digitised voice to replace the one he currently uses.