A journalist’s widow hiked a half-marathon on Christmas Day to mark the anniversary of his death.

Irina Wilkie undertook the challenge in memory of her husband Stephen, who was deputy head of news at The Scotsman when he died on 25 December 2022.

Former journalist Irina, 47, decided to pay tribute to Stephen, who was 57, by hiking 13 miles with their Labrador named Bear at the RSPB reserve at Loch Leven.

Stephen had suffered from cancer and the hike raised more than £5,000 for Maggie’s Fife, a charity which helps those dealing with the illness.

Irinia, pictured with Stephen, told the Daily Record: “The hike went well. It took roughly five hours but we had some stops including for lunch.

“We weren’t really on the clock – it was the commitment to the route and the distance which was symbolic. But I think an average of 20 minutes per mile is pretty good going – my running speed would be around half that.

“There was intermittent rain but me and Bear had our waterproofs so it wasn’t too bad – and you tend not to feel too cold when you are on the move.”

She added: She added: “I feel proud of my husband and thankful for the years we had together.

“I feel grateful to all those who contributed such a generous amount to this incredible charity and, I feel very blessed to have such an amazing support network around me.”