A COUPLE and their dog put their best foot (and paw) forward to raise nearly £1,000 for charity in a Scottish hike – despite the organisers going bust just before the walk started.

Ben Taylor, his partner Kate Downie and their collie Skye headed north for the 34-mile Three Lochs Challenge from St Briavels after receiving the bad news, determined not to let down those who had pledged money.

“It started off pretty badly as before we’d even set off for Scotland the organisers sent an email out at 9am the day before stating the company had gone into administration, meaning this weekend’s challenge and all other challenges currently planned were no longer taking place,” said Ben, who is a carpenter.

The couple, who took a copy of the Review with them for a picture on their walk along Loch Lomond, The Gareloch and Loch Long, completed the hike in 11 hours and 47mins, and have raised more than £920 to date.

Ben, whose grandfather suffers Parkinson’s, is raising money for Parkinson’s UK, while Kate is raising money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.