An Ilford Scout group has been revived thanks to the work of a 42-year-old woman who had no previous Scouting experience.

Gurmit Kaur, of Balfour Road, Ilford, took over the St Margaret’s 3rd Beaver Scouts in May when the group was facing closure because there were only three active members.

Yet the mother-of-two has since boosted the numbers by eight and helped the Beavers win the “bottomless boat race” at the Braidwood Regatta in Buckinghamshire five weeks ago.

She said: “It is a new experience for me. A lot of people have had some kind of Scouting experience, but it is completely new for me.”

Mrs Kaur had been a parent helper before taking over as leader of the Beaver Scout group. Her son Rasnam Singh, seven, is a member of the group.

“I am really happy with how it has all gone,” she said.

On the group’s recent regatta success, she said: “We had to create a boat that had no bottom.

“St Margaret’s 3rd group, unlike other Beaver Scout groups, did not have a bottomless boat prepared but we made a boat on the day, using material that we found in our cars and tree branches.

“We weren’t too prepared, to be honest, whereas other teams had spent months preparing.”

n The Beaver Scouts meet at St Margaret’s Church, in Balfour Road, Ilford. If you would like to volunteer, call 07535 973 758.