OXFORDSHIRE children are looking forward to the biggest Scouting event in the county for more than a decade.

Zodiac 09 will bring together more than 3,000 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers from all over the county for a weekend of camping and activities at the Thame Showground.

The last event of this size, which attracted more than 4,000, was held at Cornbury Park in 1997.

Greg Smith, from Thame, has helped organise the event, which begins tomorrow.

He said: “The idea really is just to get all the different Scouting organisations across the county together for a celebration.

“There will be all sorts of activities going on all weekend. We will be having a workshop led by Oxford United, and lots other exciting things.”

Andrew Innes, group leader of the 33rd Oxford Kidlington Scouts, remembers the last camp, which was called Tupen Tah Ruk.

He will be taking a group of about 50 young people and adults to this weekend’s event.

He said: “That was a really massive event and this should at least be on a par with it.

“It has been a long time coming, because things of this scale take so much organising. Everyone is really looking forward to it.”

Tickets for the three-day camp cost £50, including all food and entertainment.

Daytime activities for the campers, who are aged between six and 25, will also include wall climbing, go karting, and archery.

During the evening there will also be a 2,000-capacity entertainment tent, which will host live bands from across Oxfordshire, followed by a DJ and a disco.

The camp will also have its own talent competition based on the ITV show Britain’s Got Talent.

Mr Smith added: “We decided to call it Zodiac 09 because 2009 is the year of the Ox in the Zodiac calendar — and Ox is the emblem for Oxfordshire.

“There are 10 districts in Oxfordshire too, so each district will be given an animal. Abingdon are rats, Banbury are tigers and so on.

“There will be a special parade bringing together all the districts tomorrow. It should be great fun.”

awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk