A FORMER RAF airman from the Borders is saddling up to repay the kindness of Doddie Weir's Foundation last year.

David Scott is cycling more than 500 miles around the north coast of Scotland in four-days to raise money for the rugby legend's charity, which raises awareness of motor neurone disease as well as funding research and treatment.

David's father Richard, lost his two-year battle with MND last October.

And the 38-year-old and his family were overwhelmed when Doddie Weir’s foundation approached the family to offer support.

David is now hoping give something back to the foundation with his fundraising cycle.

He told us: “When my dad passed away, the Doddie Weir Foundation reached out to us and left a cheque to help cover the funeral costs.

"We’re from Jedburgh and are part of the tight-knit Borders rugby community.

"It was totally out of the blue, completely unexpected and a very generous offer of support at a difficult time.

"We want to repay that incredible outreach of kindness, and hope that the money we raise can be used to help Doddie, his family, and others whose lives have been affected by MND.

"It’s something my father would have wanted to do.”

David, who is UAS operations manager and a remote aircraft pilot at Bristow Group in Aberdeen, is being joined on his epic cycle with friends and fellow former air force servicemen Al Johnstone, 33 and Stef Elertowicz, 36.

The three aim to complete the now-world famous 518 mile North Coast 500 under the banner, The Hard Way Round, in reverse of the usual plan to make the route more challenging.

They have already surpassed their minimum fundraising target of £1,500, and have just pushed their current total beyond £2,000 as they are about to begin the journey.

David, a former RAF weapons technician who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, says the build-up to the event has been as gruelling as any challenge he has undertaken in the past.

“Training has been tough - I live in Elgin and spend a lot of time in the car commuting to Aberdeen for work. I have had a turbo trainer in the garage over the winter, to ensure I could keep building the miles when the weather has been bad,” he said.

“In recent weeks I’ve been getting out as much as I can on roads around Moray. The problem has been training as a team hasn’t been possible, as the other guys don’t live in the area.

“Cycling together is going to be a great change, there will be a lot of banter, and we all know there’s no option for failure – we’re doing it. In fact, if we have to walk around it we’re getting the distance done.”

To sponsor David and his friends go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thehardwayround