TWO county women have walked 26 miles to raise more than £2,000 for Alzheimer Scotland.

TSB employees Rachel Currie and Paula Blackie took to the county’s streets to clock up 26.24 miles as part of TSB’s ‘Hike it or Bike it’ scheme to raise money for its sponsored charity, which provides a wide range of specialist services for people with dementia and their carers.

On Friday, March 28, the duo started at the TSB branch in Haddington just after 7.30am, walking to the branch in Dunbar then on to the one in North Berwick.

The walk took just under seven hours and 17 minutes to complete, leaving the girls’ feet in need of some rest.

“It was horrendous,” Rachel, 26, told the Courier. “I’m never going to do it again!

“Initially I thought it was only walking so it would be fine but we walked at a brisk pace and there were a few blisters. It was not pleasant.

“I got to 20 miles and after then I could have hitchhiked back!

“But it didn’t matter, we raised a lot of money which was what it was all about.

“I had a soak of my feet and a glass of wine, that was my Friday night!” The more than £2,000 raised by the girls will now go to the charity, which is close to Rachel’s heart.

“My grandad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the same time as TSB made Alzheimer Scotland their dedicated charity,” she said.

“It is one of these things where the charity is close to you and you know where the money is going. It makes a massive difference.

“When it is close to your heart it makes it easier to encourage everyone else to do a bit more.” With the walk being her final day as bank manager of TSB Haddington, Dunbar and North Berwick, Rachel, who lives in Pencaitland, had an extra incentive to visit each of the branches, with customers at the North Berwick branch, where Paula is a full-time cashier, going above and beyond.

“The customers in North Berwick raised over £700,” she said. “When we set up we aimed for £500 and that would be fantastic. We got to over £600 so thought we’d go for £1,000.

“It just added up and added up. It is just brilliant.

“It’s been unbelievable. You expect it from friends and family but the customers were just fantastic. I am definitely overwhelmed at how generous the customers were.” She added: “It was my last day, so I managed to visit everyone!”