A LOCAL girl is taking on a swimming fundraising challenge to raise money for Edinburgh Zoo by swimming 100 lengths at her local swimming pool.

Summer Devine, from Hill of Beath, is completing the challenge at Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre with the support of charitable trust, Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.

The nine-year-old has been given free entry to the pool to complete the target.

Following a junior zookeeper experience at the zoo, Summer decided to combine her love of swimming with raising awareness of the impact Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions has had at the animal attraction.

And, this isn’t the first time Summer has taken up a good cause for animals – in 2020 she walked 10,000 steps everyday for a month for the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Summer’s mother, Clair Brennan-Livingstone, said: “Summer is a really active girl and has decided to fundraise for causes she feels strongly about.

“She is a third of the way through her swimming challenge and is loving the experience – everyone has been so supportive and we want to say a big thank you to those who have decided to help out with her fundraising goal."

Scott Urquhart, operations manager at Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, said: “We are very pleased to be helping Summer out with her swimming challenge – it’s an impressive undertaking and we wish her every success in her fundraising effort.”

To find out more about Summer’s challenge, visit her www.justgiving.com and search for Summer Devine.