A Tullibody youngster has climbed Dumyat once every week for the last year to raise money for charity.

Andrew Fraser (14) decided last Christmas that he would try and raise as much as possible for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2014 by challenging himself to hike up the hill 52 times. He will complete his final ascent on Christmas Eve, Wednesday (24 December).

Andrew, who walked, ran and cycled up the hill, said: “I have seen how much Alva Academy does each year to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and decided that I’d like to get involved.

“I wanted to do something that wasn’t going to be too easy and would be a real challenge. I’d walked up Dumyat in the past and thought that walking up every week for a year would be fun and get me fit.” The determined lad previously took part in the Rotary Club’s Ben Cleuch hill walk and watched his friends running in the Dumyat Hill Race, which gave him the inspiration to set out on the challenge.

His family members have been putting £1 in a jar every time he got back from a walk, raising over £300.

Recalling some of his most memorable ascents, Andrew told the Advertiser: “Three ascents stand out, the first one because I realised that doing 51 more was going to be really hard work.

“The second was the first time I managed to get from Menstrie to the top of Dumyat and back down to Menstrie again in under 40 minutes – that was epic and the last was just last week in the snow.

“Even the rainy days have been fun and each one has been different in its own way.

“Next year I’m hoping to get out and explore a few of Scotland’s bigger hills and I might even try to get some friends involved for my next fundraising challenge.” Andrew’s mother, Carlyn, added: “I’m really proud of Andrew.

“He’s put his head down and worked hard to achieve something that most adults would struggle to do.”