FORMER Malvern district commissioner Ron Bromley has received recognition for more than 40 years of service to the Scout movement.

Mr Bromley, aged 70, from Pickersleigh Road, Malvern, first came to Malvern 31 years ago, but had previously been a Scout leader in Buckinghamshire since 1953.

He founded the 5th Malvern Baptist Scout Group at the church in Abbey Road.

As district commissioner from 1985 he led the search for the district's own camp site, eventually finding a site at Staplow, near Ledbury, which was acquired in 1993 and named Warren Oak.

A former scientist at RSRE, Malvern, Mr Bromley retired eight years ago, but carried on as district commissioner until he was 65.

He now has an advisory role as director of camping for Herefordshire and Worcestershire Scouts.

"We have four permanent camp sites in the two counties and I write up to 70 letters a year to land owners who make temporary sites available to us," he said.

"You can't find anywhere better to camp. We have glorious countryside here."

Mr Bromley, who has been presented with a long service certificate, said he had seen a lot of changes in Scouting since he first became a Cub in 1937, but felt the principles were still the same.

"It gives boys the chance to stand on their own feet in a controlled situation and they still join for the same reasons, to go camping and take part in adventurous activities. The big problem in Scouting today is finding the adult helpers," he said.