John and Danni Allan, who run the Alford Bistro, were meant to be completing the 95-mile walk along the West Highland Way with their three children this week.

However the couple were forced to postpone the walk after their 15-year-old daughter, Kirsty, was injured in a car accident last Tuesday.

The Alford Academy fifth-year pupil was a passenger in a car that collided with a Land Rover pulling a horse trailer on the outskirts of Kemnay.

Kirsty required 11 stitches in her leg and suffered a black eye along with bruised ribs and arms.

Kirsty, who works part-time as a waitress at the family restaurant, said she is disappointed to have to miss out on the walk but believes she had a lucky escape.

She said: "We were transporting metal pipes when we collided with the trailer. One of the poles hit me on the head and knocked me out. After the accident I was in a bit of a state and I wouldn't let anybody help me out of the car and in doing so I cut my leg quite badly. You could see the bone so it wasn't very pleasant. I have had a few check-ups as it was a head injury I suffered but everything seems to be OK, which is a relief. Thankfully nobody else was hurt and I also feel quite lucky because I know it could have been a lot worse."

The family will now complete the walk from Glasgow to Fort William in the October holidays.

The Allans decided to undertake the gruelling challenge to raise money for the Alford Christmas Lights Appeal.

Kirsty added: "I can't walk very far at the moment so we are going to do the walk in October instead as we still want to raise as much as we can for the Christmas lights. I know the whole family had been really looking forward to doing the walk this week so it is a shame that we have had to postpone it but it will be really nice to complete it as a family later in the year."

Kirsty's father John, 46, added: "Kirsty was quite shaken after what happened so the best thing was just to postpone the walk and aim to do it again when she is fully fit.

"We extend our gratitude to everyone who has donated money so far and hopefully we will be able to do the walk in October."

Anybody who would like to make a donation can do so at the restaurant.