A WEE COUNTY woman was left "absolutely shattered" after spending 26 straight hours crafting poppy wreaths for charity.

Debbie Parkinson, who grew up in Alloa where her mother Edna Walker still resides, took on the mammoth challenge in support of a range of good causes.

With only a few small breaks, she stayed up overnight Thursday into Friday, May 14-15, making as many as 170 of the wreaths in the process.

Debbie, who had served in the Women's Royal Army Corps and later the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, raised hundreds of pounds for poppyscotland and the Lady Haig Poppy Factory in Edinburgh where she works.

Demonstrating her skills, she made more than six wreaths an hour on average.

The Clacks woman told the Advertiser: “I just wanted to do something to give something back.

“It's a fantastic job they [at poppyscotland] do for the veterans, I'm ex-forces myself and so is my husband.”

She was inspired by the 2.6 Challenge as well as her drive and passion for the good causes which support veterans and are close to her heart.

Debbie is the only ever female veteran to have worked at the factory since it opened in 1926.

Her husband John, a fellow veteran, provided support throughout the 26-hour operation, which finished as they marked their 28th wedding anniversary.

While John is vulnerable and shielding, Debbie has been also restricting herself to their Kirkcaldy home.

Unable to volunteer in the community, she was keen to still do something during the coronavirus crisis and showed what a fundraising challenge in the home can achieve.

Indeed, she smashed her target, netting £636 at the time of writing with the fundraising page still open for some weeks to come.

Debbie, who was around 17 and half when she enrolled in the army, said: “I thought it'd be nice to do something because charities are going to suffer during this crisis.

“It's just to show you can still actually do something at home to try and raise funds for a charity you wish – the two charities I've done it for have significant meaning to myself.”

Giving a nod of appreciation to all who supported the effort with donations, she added: “A massive thank you to everyone who donated and for all the messages of support that I've had.”

The fundraising page will keep going for some weeks, visit bit.ly/3e2Vrzz to donate.