From a small group in the local village hall to packed meetings of nearly 50 children, the 1st Belton Scout Group has gone from strength to strength in the last 40 years.

Eastern Daily Press: 1st Belton Scouts celebrate their 40th anniversary.1st Belton Scouts celebrate their 40th anniversary. (Image: © Archant 2014)

And to celebrate their milestone, Scouts, Cubs, Beavers and leaders past and present enjoyed a fun day at Belton Scout headquarters on October 18.

Cub Scout leader Carly Stroud, 33, was in the group as a child, and rejoined as a leader when her son Harry, now 10, wanted to join.

'They always need volunteers,' she said. 'Particularly now there are lots of children going, and we had a lot at Scout HQ on Saturday.

'We had lots of different activities for the kids. They had some circus skills going on, bows and arrows, pioneering skills, circus skills, all sorts.'

During the day the group was tuned into Jamboree on the Air, so they could speak to Scouts around the country, and even around the world.

Mrs Stroud, who has three children all involved in Scouting, said: 'Some of our previous leaders and the Mayor of Yarmouth and our district commissioner all came and visited and we had a camp fire and hot dogs, it was a great end to the day.'

Her eldest son Harry is one of the scouts who took part in the birthday celebrations.

'One of my favourite things was the first activity which was shooting,' he said. 'Ee had to listen to the instructor saying all the safety rules and then we started shooting at targets and we were using air rifles.

'If I didn't go to Scouts I don't think I would get another chance to do something like that.'

Group Scout Leader John Clarke, 57, has been involved with the group for 28 years because he wanted to give something back to the community after enjoying many years as a Scout.

'We had a lot of ex-leaders come back to see what the young people have been doing, it was absolutely superb.

'In the 28 years I've been doing it I think the young people have changed, at one time a lot of them use to be really up for outward bound activities, but today they would rather sleep in at the hall. It's something alien to them.'