THE fundraising efforts of Dunbar’s Christmas lights team were given a helping hand to reach the Finnish line!

The team of volunteers were looking to clock up more than 2,000 miles – the distance from Dunbar to Santa’s Lapland home – through a virtual cycle.

However, with the virtual finish line in sight, a former East Lothian resident got in touch to help them cover the final few miles to reach the real Lapland.

Robin Tremmel braved plummeting temperatures, sleet and snow, and encountered reindeers as he pedalled the final five miles.

He said: “My auntie, Allison Cosgrove, lives in East Linton and I’m from Longniddry originally.

“My mum, Marie Cosgrove, lives in Haddington and they said the Dunbar Christmas lights team was struggling to get the money for the lights.

“I thought it might help because I live [near Lapland].

“I live about 20 miles outside of Lapland and put the bike in the car and did the last five miles.

“I was not thinking and had to do the five miles back to the car.

“It started to snow, it was quite cold but I was happy to help them out.

“My auntie is an avid reader of the Courier and my auntie and mum are really crazy about the Dunbar Christmas lights, which are probably the best known in East Lothian.”

The former Preston Lodge High School pupil moved to Finland 20 years ago and set up his own business, North Wind Experience, which offers people the chance to get off the beaten path and experience the “true north wilderness” through activities including visiting a reindeer farm and trying husky dog sledging.

The 51-year-old lives in Kuusamo, about 30 miles west of the Russian border and 135 miles east of the city of Oulu.

He said: “I go back to East Lothian once a year and I love going back.

“I’m always telling Scandinavian and Finnish people to go to East Lothian when they are in Scotland.

“Some of them have gone and say it is really good and they have visited Tantallon Castle, Dirleton Castle, Haddington and North Berwick.”

Graham Adams, from the Christmas lights fundraising team, thanked Mr Tremmel, whose dad Edmund lives in Longniddry, for his efforts and all those who had donated.

The group behind the Christmas lights display has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic in its fundraising efforts.

Usual fundraisers, such as a race night and quiz night, have been postponed due to the restrictions.

Instead, other virtual fundraisers have taken place but Mr Adams said they were some way down on what they would usually raise.

The fundraising team took to Dunbar High Street on static bikes as they were closing in on the 2,300-mile target.

Mr Adams said: “We have had to look at different ways to raise money. We had Dunbar’s Got Talent and we have an online auction but there is going to be a big funding gap for us this year.”