Margaret Payne, who raised money for the NHS during lockdown by climbing the stairs in her house, has died aged 93.

The great-grandmother hit the headlines by vowing to climb the equivalent of Suilven - 731m (2,398ft) - with 282 trips upstairs in her Sutherland home in the spring of 2020.

Her efforts raised over £435,000 for NHS Charities Together, NHS Highland, RNLI and Highland Hospice.

Ms Payne was given the British Empire Medal and received a letter of congratulations from Prince Charles, as well as being commended in the Scottish Parliament.

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According to the Ross-shire journal she would have celebrated her 94th birthday on Tuesday, December 12.

Ms Payne had moved to the Highlands with her husband, Jim, in the late 1970s having holidayed north of the border in the past.

Her fundraising driver was inspired by NHS hospice staff who took care of her late husband before he died in 2019.

The couple had a son and two daughters.

Writing on social media, Highland Hospice, of the charity recipients, said: "It is with great sadness we note the passing of Margaret Payne yesterday evening. During those first few months of Covid in the spring of 2020, then 90-year-old Margaret climbed the height of Suilven on her stairs raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity and capturing people’s hearts. Margaret was a lockdown legend, but her long and extraordinary life took in so much more.

"We will be forever grateful to her and her late husband Jim for their support and our thoughts are with Nicky McArthur and all her family at this time. Keep climbing Margaret."

In June 2020 after battling for weeks through a dodgy hip and two knee replacements, Mrs Payne finally reached the mountain's 'peak' on her staircase.

It took her 73 days to strenuously climb the 282 flights of stairs at her home in Ardvar, Sutherland.

Enjoying the view from the 'summit', speaking at the time Mrs Payne said she felt “great” and “humbled” at the incredible support she has received.

She said: “I feel great now that I have finally reached the top. It really has taken a long time - I can only manage so many flights of stairs a day - so I feel happy to have achieved my goal and that so much money has been raised as a result. I am also truly humbled by the generosity of everyone who has donated to these amazing causes, and I would like to thank them all for their heart-warming messages and donations. Their encouragement kept me motivated to climb on the days I felt tired - they really made all the difference and are the ones who deserve a clap.”

She was inspired by national hero Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised over £33 million for the NHS Charities Together by walking 100 laps of his garden ahead of his 100th birthday.

Mrs Payne chose the height of Suilven because it is the only peak she has ever climbed. She first reached the summit in 1944 at the age of 15, after being evacuated to the village of Lochinver during World War II.

To inspire and motivate her throughout the challenge, renowned Ullapool artist James Hawkins donated a painting of the mountain for her to hang beside her stairs.