FIVE scouts from Crudwell were presented with their Gold and Platinum Chief Scouts awards four years of hard work, determination and nine gruelling challenges.

Fourteen-year-old scouts Emma Harris, James Gordon, Adam Hansell and 13-year-old Jack Bond were presented with their Gold Chief Scouts Awards at the end of April after securing all nine challenge badges in the period of four years.

In the final months the quartet presented a global issue to their peers and parents, helped tidy up the Jubilee playing field in Lea and a bus stop in the B4042 and completed a tiring 30km expedition along the Ridgeway for two days just to achieve the prestigious accolade.

Sixteen-year-old Henry Parkinson of Creoda Explorer Scout Unit was also presented with the Chief Scouts Platinum Award after completing several camps and four challenges.

"This is a fantastic achievement for our Scouts and for Henry, particularly from such a small rural Scout Group," group scout leader Helen Bleakley-Roberts said. "The Scouts have shown great resilience, commitment and determination, and should be proud of this incredible achievement.

"Thank you to Scout Leaders Lee Matthews, Martin Preater and Tom Hanwell who have encouraged them and organised a wide-range of activities to allow them to reach such a challenging goal.’

Anyone interested in joining the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts or Explorers should contact Tamsyn Luggar on crudwellscoutgroup@gmail.com.