A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl has set herself the challenge of climbing North Berwick Law every day in February for a charity that supports her older sister.

Nina McKinney is a primary three pupil at Law Primary School and lives in North Berwick with mum Catherine, dad Ross and siblings Angus, 11, Eliza, nine, and Felix, aged four.

She is being joined mostly by her mum and sometimes other members of her family and, with a lot of offers from friends, is making the trek with a different person most days.

Nina is raising money for Reverse Rett, a charity that aims to change the lives of children and adults with Rett Syndrome, as well as support medical research for treatments and a cure.

Rett Syndrome is a post-natal neurological disorder that mostly affects girls between 12 and 18 months old. There is currently no cure.

It is estimated to affect one in 10,000 live female births and is rarely seen in boys.

Most of those with Rett Syndrome are unable to speak, walk, feed themselves or live independently. Nina’s sister Eliza has Rett Syndrome and Nina wants to help the charity close to her heart.

Due to her condition, Eliza cannot talk, cannot walk very well and is unable to use her hands. She also takes medication for epilepsy.

Nina also said that she wanted to raise money “to give to the scientists and doctors so they can help my sister so she can play with us”.

The youngster, who is also a member of the local Beavers group, was hoping to raise £250 but by day three had already raised double that and to date is at more than £1,400.

Nina, a hockey, rugby and football fan, added: “I think it’s awesome that people have donated so much already, I’m having fun doing it... and I’m not cold in my shorts!”

And the first few days of the challenge proved more eventful than expected.

On day one, Nina – who lives on Gilsland Grange – met a group of people who were rescuing a man after he slipped and fell on the Law; day two allowed them to see the Law ponies up close; and the third day saw horrible weather, with Nina and Catherine walking in sleet, hailstones and rain.

Mum Catherine told the Courier: “We were hoping to raise a couple of hundred pounds to support e Reverse Rett after a tough year for small charities.

“The fact that the challenge has raised nearly £1,500 now is incredible and shows the support that the local community has for Eliza, especially after last year, when she spent five weeks in hospital, was on a ventilator and had two operations.”

And embarking on a mammoth fitness challenge runs in the family, as Nina’s dad Ross is part of a team taking part in this year’s Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, called “the world’s toughest row”.

The challenge sees Ross, a company director and civil engineer, join Ian Baird, Duncan Hughes, Clive Rooney and Fraser Potter in rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, from the Canary Islands to Antigua, starting at the end of this year.

Calling their team Five-in-a-Row, they will be rowing non-stop for about six weeks, all while living on a 28-foot boat.

To donate to Nina’s challenge, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/NinaMcKinney1