THOUSANDS of Scouts from across the country set off on a 25-mile run from the Malvern Hills on Friday (July 4).

Around 2,000 youngsters, aged between 15 and 18, took part in the event, which saw them leave British Camp at around 9pm. Their aim was to reach Cleeve Hill, near the Cotswolds, before sunrise the next morning.

Scouts came from all over the UK to compete in the "sun run", and hope to have raised £20,000 for Childline.

The fastest ones reached the end of the course in four and a half hours. Everybody had completed it by about 5am.

"It was a very successful event and went very smoothly," said Kevin Brewer, of organisers Gloucestershire County Scouts.