FAMILY, friends and former students of West Fife hero Tam Mason turned out on Sunday to walk the Fife Coastal Path to raise funds in his memory.

The Thomas (Tam) Mason Foundation was set up in 2011 in honour of the Black Watch corporal and supports sporting activities for youngsters in Fife.

Tam was on his second tour of Afghanistan when he was seriously injured in an IED explosion on 15th September 2009. He clung on to life bravely before he died on 25th October.

On Sunday, his sisters Lindsay-Ann and Kelly, four comrades in full uniform from the Black Watch 3rd Battalion (3 SCOTS), and his former jujitsu and kickboxing students were among those who took on the 117-mile ‘Route March for Tam’ to raise funds and remember the fallen hero.

His mum, Linda Mason-Buchanan, told the Press, “We had a minute’s silence to remember Tam and why we were taking on the Route March and it was incredibly moving.

“That so many people turned out – not just those walking but those sponsoring them as well – was just lovely.

“It was such an honour to have his battalion comrades. They actually got permission from their commanding officer who had served in Afghanistan with Tam and that’s how they got to do it in uniform as well. It shows what esteem they hold Tam in.

“I’ve had people contacting me saying they missed the Route March but would like to raise money for the foundation, which is fantastic.

“It’s keeping his memory alive – it’s been six years and it’s all too easy to forget.” Donations are still being counted and foundation chair Garry Wilson, who trained Tam in the martial arts, said, “Everybody who meant something to Tam was there. It was like coming full circle.

“This is the third year we’ve done it. It started as a one-off to raise money for the foundation but because it was so successful, we wanted to keep it going.

“What made it special was his Black Watch comrades coming from Inverness and doing it as well – and they did 40 miles in full uniform!

“We did it as a relay in seven stages and managed to finish it in about six hours. It means so much to keep Tam’s memory going.”