A COURAGEOUS Cumnock footballer made a welcome return to action when he took to the field at the same youth event where he suffered an agonising injury a year ago.

Lochlan Murdoch (10) lined up for Cumnock Juniors in the 42nd Ayr International Scotland Cup event, held at Rozelle Park on Saturday and Sunday.

It was his first major competition since he broke his leg and kneecap at Rozelle last year and he turned in some good performances, winning a medal for his efforts.

The Greenmill Primary School P6 pupil said: “I suffered the injury after a collision in a game at the tournament last year.

It was an accident. I had to go to hospital and it was painful. I felt quite good and enjoyed it. I’ve been playing football for six years.”

His mum, Lesley Murdoch said: “Lochlan’s whole world crashed down about him when he couldn’t play football. It affected his health, his blood sugar control and he was really quite down.

2It helped when he played his first game inMarch and was pleased to be back.”

Meanwhile the youngster and his mum recently walked 28 miles in four days to raise £10,000 for two charities.

They started at Townhead Park, home of Cumnock Juniors and then walked two miles around the SPFL stadiums, starting at Pittodrie and finishing at Rugby Park.

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He raised £10,000 for the JDRF Type One Diabetes charity and also Killie captain Kris Boyd’s mental health charity.

And the tournament organisers gave him a welcome cheque for £500 towards his charity campaign at the presentation evening on Monday, exactly a year on after the leg break.

Lesley said: “We are so grateful to the organisers. Doing his walk and the drive to get back playing football was really good.”

Asked his long-term ambition, Lochlan said: “I want to play for Killie and my hero is Jamie MacDonald.”