HUNDREDS of Scouts and Guides in Hampshire are celebrating after receiving a lottery windfall of more than £250,000 to build a new HQ.

The old headquarters in Hedge End will be demolished to make way for a larger, fully accessible two-storey building.

The 13th Itchen North Scouts Group and Wildern and District Guides Association have just been awarded a staggering £261,700.

Work is due to commence on the new premises in Allen Road next year, subject to planning permission.

Harry Butler, member of Itchen North Scouts Fellowship and the project manager, was broken the good news by the Daily Echo.

He said: "I'm so delighted. This is absolutely brilliant news!

"With the money we receive we'll build a larger building that will be able to accommodate all of the Scouts and Guides groups in the area. "At the current hall, only half out of the 21 units that make up both of the Scouts and Guides groups use the building.

"The new headquarters will be a lot larger and more modern than the current one and I am sure that everybody concerned with the Scouts and Guides in Hedge End will be looking forward to the future."

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