A FAMILY of six have completed a charity walk from Fife to the Scottish Parliament to raise money for people affected by the refugee crisis.

John Bradley, of Gullane, was joined by his wife and his four young children in trekking from North Queensferry to Holyrood on Sunday.

Together, they have raised more than £3,000 for the British Red Cross.

Catherine, his wife, told the Courier: “We survived.

“We did it in about eight hours, which was a bit quicker than we expected it to be.

“We've got loads of photographs from the walk and a lot of donations.”

Mr Bradley lived in the Syrian Capital of Damascus eight years ago while he was studying Arabic.

And, after watching what was happening on the news, he was determined to do his bit to help those affected.

Speaking to the Courier before the walk, he said: “We are in the position of having four young children and so we are able to perhaps do something that is a small act of solidarity with those people having to cross continents with their entire families, who don't have a choice.”

Mr Bradley, who works as a commercial manager for Marks and Spencer in Livingston, rejected the idea of walking from their Gullane home to North Berwick and instead felt it would be “a bit more symbolic” if they were crossing a body of water, even on a bridge.

Mr and Mrs Bradley were joined on the walk by their four young children – Isla (5), Jago (3), Merryn (1) and Leila (three months).

The six family members took the train across the Forth to North Queensferry and set off on the return leg at about 10.15am.

Mrs Bradley, from Gullane, said: “The first bit across the Forth Road Bridge was quite exciting and we were buoyed up for that.

“Then there was the stretch from South Queensferry to Barnton, which was pretty tough going.

“We stopped off and the kids had a play in the park at lunch.

“Then, from Barnton we followed along the cycle path to Davidson Mains and into the west end, which was quite gruelling.”

The fundraising total has now swollen to almost £3,500 – a figure Mrs Bradley described as “amazing”.

To make a donation, go to www.justgiving.com/jsrbradley