THESE Southampton Scouts are all lottery winners!

A huge windfall, adding up to nearly £250,000, has led to a major makeover for their headquarters, in Bitterne, whose history can be traced back to 1882.

It was in the early part of last year that the 3rd Itchen North (Bitterne) Scout Group was awarded a total of £246,880 from the National Lottery Fund.

It was the signal to draw up major plans for their Gordon Hall HQ in Brook Road, which has been the 3rd Itchen's home since 1962.

Before that it had been a fire station, library, reading room and parish hall but it was desperately needing improvements to bring it up to modern living standards.

After several months of hard work by the group's project manager Paul Upton and the building committee, plans were finalised.

Now those plans have become reality and over the weekend the group threw open the doors of the new-look building to its neighbours.

The lottery fund cash has also been used to create facilities which can be shared by the whole community.

The hall now has new stores, modern toilets, effective lighting, good kitchens and bright decor and is disabled-friendly.

Former Saints star Francis Benali still fondly remembers the days when he was a Cub in a pack in the city's Bevois Town area

He was invited by Group Scout Leader Jennie Upton to officially open the new look Gordon Hall.

Francis said: "Jennie was my teacher when I was at Bellemoor School and we have always kept in touch."

He said his role in the opening ceremony was small compared with the hard work that had been put into improving the building.

Two years ago the 3rd Bitterne Group, which includes Beaver Cubs, Cub Scouts, Air Scouts, Scouts and Explorers were overall winners of the Daily Echo Scouting Challenge for their conservation work.