A DUNFERMLINE businessman is taking to the skies for a charity challenge.

Robert Stalker, along with friend Tommy Lorimer, will fly around coastal Britain stopping at as many airfields as they can.

They organised the unusual stunt in a bid to encourage fellow pilots to get back in the sky after lockdown and to raise money for Scotland's Air Ambulance charity.

"We were restricted in flying through COVID so what we decided some weeks ago is, when it was viable, we would do a flight around coastal Britain, and we have called it a freedom flight," said Robert.

"That is us now free to get doing things again and that was the big idea behind it. It is just two of us doing it, going round coastal Britain stopping at as many airfields that we can.

"We decided to fundraise for the Scottish Air Ambulance as they are a magnificent emergency service, with no funding other than public donations, and they certainly are real lifesavers."

Robert and Tommy are expecting the trip to last between seven and 10 days and have already raised more than £1,700.

"We have both been flying for 20-odd years," said Robert. "We have been abroad many times and have been stuck in the UK. We are going round Britain because it is the only place we can go.

"There's a lot of interest in it. What we are trying to do is encourage pilots to get back in the air. Coming back to flying is daunting for some of them so we are trying to give a bit of encouragement.

"We have emailed and contacted all the airfields we are going to. A lot of them are giving us free landings."

The pair will leave Perth airport tomorrow (Friday) where, on their return, they are expecting to be escorted back onto firm ground by the Air Ambulance which is based there.

Anyone wanting to support the fundraiser can do so by visiting https://www.justgiving.com and searching for Robert Stalker.