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A group of Fife firefighters are preparing to complete the West Highland Way in full fire kit and breathing apparatus, as a tribute to a friend and colleague.

The eight-strong team from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service aim to complete the 96 miles in just five days in memory of Colin Speight, who died in December last year at the age of 47.

He was a firefighter for almost 30 years, working at Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Methil,

Gordon Nimmo and John Ovenstone will be joined by Robert Wands, Craig Friel and James O’Donnell, with Ewan Wallace, Grieg Shearer and Gary Stewart supporting them.

Firefighters in training to walk the West Highland Way in memory of colleague Colin Speight

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The majority of them work in Glenrothes Fire Station, with one at Methil Fire Station, another at Dunfermline Fire Station and one at Macalpine Road Fire Station.

They will be raising money for the Fire Fighters Charity, which was particularly close to Colin’s heart, as well as Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS).

They hope to raise awareness about mental health and the importance of talking – having never known how much Colin had been struggling before his sudden death.

John said: “Colin was always the rock and the joker of the group. That’s the concerning thing for us - we really didn’t see it.

"We knew he was going through some difficult times, but we always assumed he was alright because he was always alright on the surface.

“It just shows with mental health it can really be a mask. It definitely needs to be brought forward that it shouldn’t be like that.”

Gordon added: “Colin was always up for stuff, always having a laugh. Importantly, though, he was always someone you could turn to, to talk to.

“He was always really involved in fundraisers for the Fire Fighters Charity, including car washes and station events. It’s about carrying that on now.”

They hope to now replicate Colin’s devotion to the service and the charity, by completing the West Highland Way from October 24-28.

In the run-up to the challenge, the group is organising walks in the local area to get more people in the fire service talking about their mental health

To support their fundraiser, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/walk-with-speighty-west-highland-way-2022

Fife firefighters’ West Highland Way trek in full kit in memory of Colin Speight