‘I want a voice that fits me’: teenager’s quest for communication aid with Walsall accent

Daniel Challis, who has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak, is auditioning people to provide his new voice

Daniel Challis was born and brought up near Walsall, surrounded by family members with distinctive regional accents.

Yet the communication aid he uses to speak with sounds nothing like them, instead vocalising in a robotic version of received pronunciation. The 18-year-old, who has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak, is appealing for people to audition to provide his new voice - providing they have the right accent.