A scout group has scored a notable victory in its fight to keep older members in its troop.

Early this year, the Scout Association announced plans to reduce the leaving age from 15 and a half to 14.

The move would have forced several members of the 1st Adderbury Scout group to join a senior troop outside the area if they wanted to stay in the scout movement.

They took their protest to scout headquarters and spoke to the policy-makers.

Now, the boys have scored a victory and won an unexpected bonus - thanks to some help from Banbury's district commissioner Brian Sargent.

Scouting's top brass have come up with a flexible solution allowing the Adderbury youngsters to stay in the village troop until they are 18.

After new age ranges are introduced, scout leaders will be allowed to run a ten-14 section alongside a new 14-18 section.

Adderbury scout Oliver Davies, 15, said: "It was a hard battle but we won, and we made our scouting opportunities even better."

Adderbury scout leader Andy Green said: "A sensible application of the new rules means that youngsters who love our action-packed programmes can now enjoy them for an extra two years."