HE learned to ski just five years ago. Now Trevor Dundon is a triple medal-winning hero against all the odds.

The 30-year-old returned from the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Japan with a gold, a silver and a bronze.

He swooped to win the slalom, finished runner-up in the downhill and third in the giant slalom races on the slopes of Nagano, where the Winter Olympics were held in 1998.

Trevor, who has severe learning difficulties, discovered his passion for skiing when he went for a lesson at Southampton Alpine Centre at the city's outdoor sports centre in Bassett.

The lesson was arranged through Southampton Day Services, an organisation that helps people with learning difficulties to gain new skills.

Terri Hardcastle, sports co-ordinator for Southampton Day Services, said: "Trevor started going for lessons on a Friday at Southampton ski slope. He turned out to be really good at skiing, so he started to enter competitions. Last year he entered the Special Olympics Great Britain National Alpine Skiing Competition, which is when he qualified to take part in the World Games.

"Trevor has been a credit to us all. He has returned from Japan with amazing results. This has been a fantastic personal achievement for someone who really deserves it."

At the games in Japan, which take place every two years, Trevor was one of only 12 athletes from Britain, and one of 1,900 taking part from 86 countries and regions.

The Special Olympics serve almost 1.4 million people with mental health disabilities.

"It was very exciting to travel to Japan," said Trevor, from Freemantle, Southampton. "Winning the medals was great."

In July, Trevor will be travelling to Glasgow to enter the athletics competition to qualify for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Japan in 2007.