A 12-year-old boy who raised thousand of pounds for charity in memory of his brother has been named as youngest ever finalist for Robert Burns Humanitarian Award (RBHA).

Mason Kidd, from Cumnock, East Ayrshire, carried out 18 'acts of kindness' last year in memory of his brother Ross, who died of cancer at the age of two.

Mason, who has autism, took pizzas to a local fire station, treated police officers to doughnuts, left tennis balls in the park for dog walkers and bought teddies for the babies at Ayrshire Maternity Neonatal Unit as part of his effort.

His 18th act of kindness was to raise £10,000 for Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, presenting the money to the hospital on December 1, which would have been his brother's 18th birthday.

He has now been nominated for the Burns Award along with Sandra Brown who has championed support for victims of sexual abuse, and Ann Ferrer who set up the Rural Development Trust in India to promote women's rights.

The trio were hand-picked from nominations received from around the world for people who have saved, improved or enriched the lives of others or society as a whole.

The Burns Award was created to recognise the efforts of people who help change lives for the better in often desperate situations.

Organisers say it takes its inspiration from Robert Burns who viewed everyone as equal and lived as a true humanitarian.

As well as the RBHA 2018 title, winners receive the equivalent of 1759 guineas, approximately £1,800, a sum which signifies the year of the Bard's birth and the coinage then in circulation.