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Dunedin mayoral candidates spent an hour today in wheelchairs after a council candidate with a disability challenged them to wheel a mile in his shoes.

Joshua Perry, who has cerebral palsy, challenged all 11 Dunedin mayoral candidates to a wheelchair race through the CBD today.

One candidate, Lee Vandervis, had discouraged Mr Perry from standing for council, saying he would not be able to make himself understood.

Mr Vandervis did not participate in the challenge.

Andrew Whiley, who took part in today's challenge, said his eyes had been opened, because moving around in a wheelchair was more difficult than he expected.

Mr Whiley said all newly-elected councillors needed to try the wheelchair challenge to learn the problems firsthand.