AN ALVA teenager has scaled the highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales – in less than 24 hours.

Stephannie Davidson, 16, took on the mammoth Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon and raising £1156 for MacMillan Cancer Support along the way.

The youngster, in her sixth year at Alva Academy, wanted to do something that could help those dealing with the condition, having seen its effects first-hand.

And she revealed she wanted to test herself in the process, when she told the Advertiser: "I thought it would be a challenge to myself. I didn't want to do something I would find easy. I have done Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike but I wanted to do all three.

"Our school does MacMillan every year, so the sixth years do sponsored events. Last year the school raised £33,000 so it's a part of that."

Stephannie managed the 10,589ft climb in 18 hours and four minutes, and admitted the biggest difficulty was getting a bit of rest in between.

However, thankfully the young climber and her dad Robert had a sidekick to keep them going as they racked up 21.7 miles of walking.

"I did it with my dad and my dog Cali. She was running about like crazy all over the hills," she said.

"It was quite tiring because I had to sleep in the car and I'm not the best at sleeping in the car."

The trio were also supported in their efforts by Stephannie's mum Elizabeth, who drove the 923 miles between different destinations and spoke of how her overwhelming emotion on the journey was pride.

She said: "It was something she chose because family members in the past have had cancer and she knows people ongoing who are having treatment.

"It was a bit because of the school and a bit personal at the same time. They [Stephannie and her dad] were laughing and we are just so proud."