The biggest – and youngest – fan of foxhounds is once again donning his flat cap and setting off on a fundraising walk, scaling England’s highest mountain for his dogs.

March of last year saw nine-year-old Jake John (JJ) Eeles fly his way around Ennerdale Water, taking just two hours and 30 minutes to complete the seven-mile-long route, all to raise money for his grandad John’s Eskdale and Ennerdale Foxhounds Kennels.

And as soon as he’d finished his first fundraiser, he was back to planning his second, landing on the mammoth task of climbing Scafell Pike exactly one year after his Ennerdale Water walk, on Saturday, March 7.

“We’re so proud of him,” JJ’s mum Christine said. “His dad [Andrew] will be walking behind him – probably by about a mile because he can’t keep up with JJ!”

While the 3,209ft hike would prove a hefty feat for most, the Egremont youngster regularly walks for miles with his hounds, and his family are full of confidence he’ll whizz through his latest challenge, with trusty hound Marksman by his side.

“No doubt at all he will fly up it and fly back down,” Christine said. “Even if the weather’s horrible, it will not bother him one bit.”

She added: “When he gets his mind to it and sets off it’ll be nothing to him.

“And Marksman is such a loyal hound – if JJ fell over or stopped, he’d never leave him.”

The St Bridget’s Primary School, Egremont, pupil can’t wait to raise more money for his beloved hounds, and is happy to continue fundraising for as long as he’s needed to.

Christine said: “He loves fundraising for his hounds – he absolutely adores them, so if he knows they have food and their vets bills are paid and they’re fine in every other way, he’s happy.”

From one happy Foxhound-lover to another, grandad John is “over the moon” that JJ is following in his footsteps, and adores his animals as much as he does – particularly “his hounds and Herdwicks”.

And although “he never cracks a smile” according to his proud mum, who couldn’t help but laugh when talking about her focused son, he is “so excited to get up there”, and hopes to top his £1,405 total from last year’s walk.

To help the “little whippet” reach his target, visit his JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/christine-eeles.

All money raised by JJ will go towards the hounds’ food, vet bills, and general running of the kennel – a cause close to the young “Mr Serious’s” heart.