SOME of the county’s finest Scouts have flown to Japan for the World Scout Jamboree.

The group of 36 – selected on merit – have joined with other intrepid youngsters from across the globe this weekend for the 23rd annual meeting of Scouts.

The Jamboree includes seven days of activities and with this year’s theme being peace, a visit to Hiroshima.

The Oxfordshire cohort made up of members from the county’s 17 groups have raised £130,000 over the past 18 months to make the trip possible.

The Scouts left Didcot Town Football Club on Friday.

After a weekend spent in Tokyo, the Jamboree’s events get going today including nature, science and culture programmes for teenagers to get their teeth into.

On departure Morgan Lyes, 14, from Benson, said: “The people I am going with have become my closest friends and I can’t wait to make friends with Scouts from all over the world.”

Chief Scout Bear Grylls said: “Over the course of the Jamboree Scouts will be able to meet people from around the world, take part in amazing adventures and experiences and be challenged to think about global issues in a new light. That is why scouting is the one of the greatest youth movements on earth and why I am so proud to be part of it.”