A TEENAGER is taking on a gruelling eight day challenge despite suffering from an ingrowing toenail.

Ben Atkin, 14, from Pershore is hiking over 200 miles across the breadth of Scotland, the equivalent of a marathon a day – with added mountains for Blue Cross despite his injury.

Ben, who volunteers at one of the charity’s nation-wide shops at 27 High Street in Pershore, will be accompanied by his father, Ian Atkin across Scotland from Portpatrick on the west coast to Cockburnspath on the east coast.

Mr Atkin said: "Ben is actually suffering from an ingrowing toenail but he will still complete the walk.

"We may have to take slightly longer than originally planned, eight days was originally decided but we have to extend that to ten.

"The problem is that the longer it takes, the more kit that we have to carry.

"Ben has never done anything like this before, when I have done walks like this he wanted to come and now he is old enough."

A total of 212 miles, the walk will scale the equivalent of 10 mountains.

Passionate about helping pets in need, Ben has been lending a hand to the charity shop for about a year.

He helps with sorting out donated stock, filling shelves and checking DVDs and computer games for damage before they go on sale. He even steps in to wear heavy pet mascot costumes on shop open days.

Mr Atkin added: “Ben has always loved animals and just wants to do whatever he possibly can to help pets in need. It has actually been a bit of a problem during our training as whenever we bump into an animal of any species he has to stop and say hello.”

While already beating his £400 target, thanks to strong local support, Ben is keen to raise as much as he possibly can towards the thousands of homeless, abandoned, sick and injured pets cared for by Blue Cross each year.

Donations can be made through his justgiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ben-atkin1

Liz Martin, assistant manager at the Blue Cross Pershore Shop said: “We are all just so proud of Ben. He is a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer in the shop, always willing to help out and a valued member of the team.

"We hope animal lovers get behind him and show their support by donating to this brave challenge.”

To find out more about Blue Cross visit www.bluecross.org.uk