AN ARCHITECT was locked in a glass box for 50 hours in order to raise awareness of autism and funds for charity.

Former Bridgewater High School pupil Adam White was locked in a 3x2m box in the foyer of a Tesco store for more than two days, raising more than £1,000 for charity Caudwell Children which supports young people with autism.

The 44-year-old spent time cycling and working while in the box, and said that he missed his girlfriend Sarah and watching Warrington Wolves on the Super League during the challenge, which took place from 6pm on Monday, March 20, to 8pm on Wednesday, March 22.

Landscape architect Adam’s great-grandad set up White’s Sport Shop on Sankey Street in 1901, with the store going on to be named the oldest sports shop in the world by Guinness World Records.

Adam, a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society gold medal and a BBC People’s Choice Award, said: “I kept myself amused during my self-imposed solitary confinement by cycling on an indoor bike.

“The family business is recognised by the Guinness World Records as the oldest sports shop in the world and the shop gave me the bug for cycling, swimming and rowing and it’s continued ever since.

“My company has also been commissioned by the charity to create a sensory garden for the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show and their new headquarters in Staffordshire, so I spent hours making a number of scale models of the garden that we’ll be creating.

“I’m delighted to say that the challenge attracted many people into the store who not only learnt more about the challenges of the condition from Caudwell Children staff and also donated generously to the charity’s cause.

“I’m a huge Warrington Wolves fan so I missed all the rugby league gossip on the Super League Show on Monday, but I intend on catching up with it on the BBC iPlayer this week.”

Adam’s challenge was designed to highlight to shoppers at the Tesco Extra store in Kensington, London, the challenges faced by people living with autism.

Mark Bushell from Caudwell Children supported Adam, a fellow of the Royal Chartered Landscape Institute, throughout the challenge.

He said: “Adam was completely unfazed by his selfless experience – he remained composed throughout his incarceration and was even unaffected by the store’s 24-hour opening times.

“He had a lot of energy and managed to get by on between three and five hours sleep.

“He was extremely popular with shoppers to the store and he really engaged with them through the glass walls of the box.

“This gave me the opportunity to explain to interested shoppers how Caudwell Children can provide specialist car seats, buggies, tricycles, light sensory packs and therapies that support children with autism.

“Whilst I appreciate that every child is different, many parents of autistic children have told me that the box is a perfect metaphor for the condition.

“Feeling conspicuous, being viewed from every angle with no place to hide and struggling to communicate with those outside the box are things that parents relate to.

“We can’t thank Adam enough for putting the charity on the map.”

To donate go to justgiving.com/adamlockedin or text LIFA72 and the amount donated to 70070.