Four teenage boys from Buckinghamshire celebrated the end of their GCSEs in an unorthodox way - by walking 108 miles across Scotland.

Thomas Healy, 16, lost his cousin Steven, who was only a year older than him, in April of this year.

After finishing his GCSEs last month, Thomas recruited three friends, Giles, Ben and Euan, all students at John Hampden Grammar School in High Wycombe, to take on the "mammoth" West Highland Way walk in Scotland.

They embarked on the five-day trek, which stretches 108 miles from the end of Glasgow to the foot of Ben Nevis, to raise money for Duchenne UK, a charity funding research into Duchenne, the form of muscular dystrophy that Steven suffered from before his untimely death.

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On a JustGiving page dedicated to Steven, which has so far raised £2,719, Thomas wrote: "My cousin had a smile that would light up the whole room and he was an adored member of the community.

"Steven was diagnosed with Duchenne at a young age and this condition prevented him from experiencing many of the things that we take for granted. 

"Despite the constant challenges he faced, he stayed strong and in good spirits.

"Although walking the West Highland Way is a tough challenge, it doesn't compare to the suffering Steven went through."

He said during the walk, he and his friends experienced "all sides of the Scottish highland weather, with sunburns and midge bites but also bags and clothes soaked through". 

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Reflecting on the amount he had managed to raise, which far exceeds the page's initial £500 target, Thomas thanked everyone who had donated for their "absolutely amazing support and generosity".

Adding: "It has filled me and my friends with the utmost pride to know that we have made a difference". 

His mother Janine also shared her pride at her son's decision to take on the "mammoth" challenge to help improve the lives of other people living with Duchenne.

She said: "They carried all their equipment with them in very heavy rucksacks, which included tents and cooking equipment, as they wild camped.

"They faced extremely challenging terrain, all kinds of weather, got soaked to the skin and ultimately supported each other through what was a very difficult physical and mental challenge." 

Click here to view the fundraising page now.