A group of Moray school pupils are preparing to embark on a cycling challenge in honour of a classmate who died last year.
Friends of Keiran McKandie will tackle a 120-mile trip from Elgin to Aviemore and back at the weekend to raise funds in his name.
The 16-year-old was killed after being struck by a car while cycling near Dallas last March.
Following the tragedy, his parents said Keiran “lived, breathed, slept and dreamt about downhill mountain biking”.
And now 14 of his schoolmates, aged between S4 and S6, are hoping to raise money towards a charity set up in his name by taking part in the expedition.
The trip has been named the McFall Cycle Challenge and is also in honour of maths teacher Forbes McFall who died last April.
PE teacher, Richie Sim, recently cycled the gruelling stretch himself to make sure it would be safe for the pupils.
Mr Sim said: “This is a huge challenge for the children, and they have been getting a lot of practice in by using the spin bikes in the school canteen whenever they can.
“Some pupils cycled from Elgin to Aberdeen and back last year, at 50 miles a day, but this will be even more difficult.”
The 10 boys and four girls will set off from the school at 10am on Friday, heading to Forres along the national cycling route.
From there, they will cross Dava Moor en route to Aviemore – where they will rest for the night at a youth hostel.
The group will take the same route back to Elgin the following day.
The children will all be wearing specially-created jerseys with “in honour of Keiran McKandie” printed on the right shoulder.
After Keiran’s death, his parents started raising funds to equip police cars with defibrillators so that other lives could be saved on roads across the north-east.
The children’s accommodation is being paid for by Elgin-based building firm Robertson.
Marketing director, Fraser Edgar said: “It seemed particularly important to support this challenge given the circumstances behind it.”
Donations towards the fundraiser can be made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/richie-sim
