Sarah Morrison (31), of Middlebank Rise, was heartbroken last year when doctors told her they couldn’t find a heartbeat for the child she was carrying. After the tragic loss of baby Erin, she was helped by stillbirth and neonatal death charity Fife Sands and decided to tackle the 1344m climb of Ben Nevis last Saturday to raise money and mark what would have been her daughter’s first birthday.

Sarah, who also has a three-year-old called Hannah, explained how she had been taken into hospital on 20th June last year when she couldn’t find Erin’s heartbeat with her home doctor kit.

“She always used to move when I was putting Hannah to bed, but that time she didn’t,” she said. “I checked and couldn’t find a heartbeat and hoped it was just the machine.

“I never expected to go in and be told she had died.

“They did a scan and told us she had passed away. It was a very difficult time.” Erin was then born sleeping the next day and Sarah spoke of the help she received after the tragedy.

“We got a lot of support from friends and family and Fife Sands,” she said. “I wanted to give something back to them and help people in the same situation.

“I hope we can raise awareness and money for the charity and research into why this happens - we never got a reason why Erin died.

“Fife Sands hugely helps, there’s a support meeting every month and it’s a nice comfort and place to go as everyone has been through it.” After enlisting the help of friends Katie Nash, Nicola Francis and Louise Gunstensen, as well as her dog, Sarah decided to climb Ben Nevis in Erin’s memory.

“We really wanted to mark her birthday,” she said. “We wanted her life to be thought of as something positive, not negative. I want to do something every year to mark her birthday.

“I don’t think we could have picked a worse day! We thought that in July at least it would be dry.

“It was pouring rain, windy and when we set out we saw a lot of people turning back and thought we weren’t going to manage.

“It was tricky, it was hard going. We all found it really hard going but because it was raising money for charity we really wanted to get to the top, it spurred us on. I’m really grateful to Katie, Nicola and Louise for helping me.

“There was always the possibility of having to turn back but we just kept going, even though it was a lot harder than we anticipated.

“The weather was the biggest challenge. The last half hour was freezing. It was -5C at the top but with the wind it felt like -11C. We were trudging through the snow and at that point I just wanted to cry, I was exhausted. It was so cold and by the time we got to the top we were so wet - I wish I’d packed a fresh pair of socks and gloves!” Despite the difficulties with the conditions, Sarah was delighted to reach the top and complete the challenge.

“It was a huge relief!” she said. “It was a brilliant feeling.

“Hannah and I painted a memento for Erin which I left at the top with the rocks all piled in the cairn to show we’d done it for her.” Sarah has already raised around £900 for Fife Sands, and you can help her by visiting www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Morrison-Erin