Charity backed by Prince Harry

OSCR is probing a charity founded by an ex-special forces soldier over claims of financial irregularities.

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator confirmed it was looking into the PAH18 Pan-American Highway Cycling Challenge charity founded by former Special Boat Squadron veteran Dean Stott.

OSCR is investigating claims that the project’s organisers spent excessively and used charitable funds inappropriately.

It is thought Stott, who lives in Aberdeen, racked up £400,000-worth of expenses during the 14,000-mile cycling marathon across America.

Questions were first raised last year by Stott’s crew who accused him of cheating on the 99-day ride when he returned to Britain to attend Prince Harry’s wedding whom he befriended during military training.

Stott shaved 18 days off the record for riding the length of the Pan-American Highway, cycling for up to 20 hours each day.

But crew members said he changed bikes during the challenge – a move outlawed by The Guinness Book of Records.

Last November Stott asked for the charity to be struck off and voluntarily dissolved.

Its final accounts showed a total income of £993,029 and a total expenditure – including revenues handed over to charities – of £897,064.

A spokesman for Stott said: “PAH18 welcomes this inquiry and while there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the OSCR, PAH18 is happy to provide any information it may require. We look forward to its positive conclusion.”