RECORD-breaking 10-year-old schoolgirl Darcey Curran is taking on a walk across the rugged Exmoor terrain on Saturday, June 22, to support Exmoor Search and Rescue Team.

Darcey, a Minehead Middle School pupil, will take part in the Exmoor Perambulation, an annual self-navigated hike around the original boundary of the Royal Forest of Exmoor at the time of its 1818 sale.

It is one of the most challenging walks in the Exmoor calendar and offers two long-distance walk options, 15 or 30 miles.

Darcey will be walking the 30-mile route, as she did last year with her father Mark Curran when she became the youngest person to complete it at just nine years of age.

She completed last year’s perambulation in roasting heat in under 12 hours, when she raised more than £1,000 for the charity and was awarded a certificate and supporter’s T-shirt.

Darcey Curran completing last year's Exmoor Perambulation at the age of nine years.
Darcey Curran completing last year's Exmoor Perambulation at the age of nine years. ( )

Mr Curran said this year Darcy planned to ‘smash this time’ and was hoping to finish the course in under 10 hours.

He said: “Thirty miles of rugged Exmoor in one day is pretty tough for anyone, let alone, a 10-year-old girl.

“I am raising money in aid of Exmoor Search and Rescue Team and every donation will help.

“Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to her.”

Accompanying them will be the family’s two dogs, Buzz and Woody, which will be taking part in their fourth perambulation.

Exmoor Search and Rescue is a voluntary mountain rescue team covering large parts of Somerset and Devon to help police and ambulance services find lost or missing persons, and treat and recover the injured or ill from remote locations.

It offers a unique skillset with navigation, search techniques, medical treatment, casualty extraction, and technical rope and water capabilities.

Darcey’s online fund-raising page can be found here.

Mr Curran said a collection session with members of Exmoor Search and Rescue Team would be held at Lidl, Minehead, where he works, on Friday, August 2, from 4 pm to 7 pm, when the team would have one or two of its specialised vehicles on display.