AN ALLOA family used their “once in a lifetime opportunity” to walk across the Queensferry Crossing to raise cash for charities close to their hearts.

It was an amazing experience for Kirstin MacKie’s daughter Kyra, who celebrated her 10th birthday when thousands of people walked on the newly opened bridge for the first and last time on Sunday, September 3.

The 39-year-old, who works as a renal nurse at Forth Valley Royal Hospital and also celebrated her birthday last week, went along with father Allan, husband Robert as well as the wee one and turned the experience into a charitable occasion by raising around £500 between three good causes.

She never thought they would get the opportunity as hundreds of thousands applied, but when it turned into a reality she decided she would lace her walking shoes up for Kidney Care UK to help dialysis patients at the Larbert hospital and beyond as she specialises in caring for individuals with kidney disease.

Allan, who served in the Army for nearly 25 years, walked for Help for Heroes, while Robert and Kyra used the opportunity to net funds for those suffering from the rare condition Myasthenia Gravis – a neuromuscular disease that leads to skeletal muscle weakness.

The decision to raise cash to help those suffering from the disease came as Kyra’s grandmother is affected and spent long weeks in hospital care.

The sunny and slightly cloudy weather provided the perfect conditions, said Kirstin, who was “overwhelmed“ by the size and scale of the £1.35billion development.

She told the Advertiser: “On arrival to the bridge, it was breathtaking.

“The views were amazing with all three bridges in sight. We couldn’t believe the size of it.”

The experience began at the Pitreavie Sport Centre leisure facility in Dunfermline.

From here, it was a hop, skip and a 10 minute bus ride down to the bridge.

Kistrin paid tribute to the security provided and said the event “was very well organised”.

The new bridge was officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen, exactly 53 years after she unveiled the nearby Forth Road Bridge.