A group from Royston District Scouts have earned the opportunity to attend the 24th World Scout Jamboree in North America.

The four teenagers - Ewan Morgan, Josh Leighton, Malachy Wallace and Wil Foulger - and their leader, Larry Eeles, will be part of a UK contingent of 5,000 scouts, guides and leaders travelling to Summit Betchel Reserve in West Virginia on July 22 for the 12-day jamboree.

The rally will be an "amazing scout event" with more 45,000 attendees from 167 different countries.

Their time in the USA includes a 'big city experience' in New York and Washington, plus a three-day home hospitality stay with Canadian scouts in Ontario.

A spokeswoman said: "Attending the Jamboree, representing Royston, will be a life-changing experience for Ewan, Josh, Malachy and Will, and their leader Larry.

"In addition to the Scout traditions of outdoorsmanship and conservation, this jamboree embraces the growing trend of leadership development and global citizenship that the Scout movement has cultivated for generations. It's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"As a condition of participating in the jamboree, our scouts committed to raising £18,600. The group are very grateful to the support received from local businesses through the generous donation of raffle prizes, event sponsorship and match-funding. Posts on social media show how the scouts have been busy fundraising since December 2017, some individual activities such as collecting aluminium cans, mowing lawns, craft sales; and other group activities involving their scouting colleagues and families across the district, e.g. quiz nights, a race night and Easter raffles."

The group were boosted when Royston charity, The Brian Leslie Racher Trust, agreed that once they achieved 80 per cent of their fundraising goal, the trust would donate the remaining 20 per cent.

There are seven scout groups and three explorer units in the Royston district. Their volunteer leaders meet weekly with nearly 500 children aged six to 18 to engage in activities to help develop skills for life.

For more information on the groups, and if you are interested in volunteering, go to roystonscouts.org.uk.