THREE months of planning paid off for a Bridport boy who smashed his fundraising target at the weekend.

Aiden Cooper has turned himself from a bullied child to community campaigner and martial arts instructor and at the weekend he put all his new skills to good use with a community event to raise money for Allington Hill.

Aiden wanted to raise money to provide activity equipment and free outdoor woodland adventure days for local children.

Aiden said: “I want to thank everyone that has supported me in raising so much money. So many local businesses for collecting money and providing tombola prizes, sponsorship from local people and the Allington Hillbillies for helping on the day and providing the marquee and equipment free of charge. They helped me raise more than £400 before the event.”

Aiden’s event on Saturday started with a demonstration by Team Fear from Matt Fiddes martial arts group, led by Aiden himself.

Afterwards he was at the front of the starting line of the amble around the hill. Although it was not a race, once one started running everyone joined in, he said.

Aiden said: “It was such fun I hope that this will become an annual event. £300 was raised on the day and more money is coming in. I can’t believe I have raised more than £700.

“This means that I can sponsor three activity days for local children and buy activity equipment as well."

“I have given the money to the Allington Hillbilly group to look after, while we plan what days and activities we want to do. They have offered to help as they all ready have the experience and contacts to make it all happen.”

Aiden is on course to be a certified martial arts instructor and as part of his training he has to organise community projects.

He said: “My family spend so much time playing on Allington Hill, I thought it would be good to encourage more children to use this wonderful outdoor space.”

His aim was to raise £200 to pay for a box of outdoor play equipment for families to borrow.

Catherine Harvey who heads the Allington Hillbillies said: “We were able to run children’s activities days on the hill thanks to Lottery funding but that finished in March.

“It is nice that we have inspired children and they still want to be involved in activities which was our main aim so it is wonderful if Aiden raised enough to offer more days.”

Aiden’s mother Sharron Leader said her 14-year-old son had been studying martial arts for five years.

He’s also organised an event to highlight the problem of bullying to get the message across to victims that there is help.