Guides' spirits not dampened by torrential rain

The group of 19 girls and two boy cubs, sons of two of the leaders, aged 10-12, had set up at the Dappers Lane campsite in Angmering on Saturday morning.

But by the following day the site had been turned into a muddy bog by the continual rain which caused minor but uncomfortable flooding.

Helen Standing, Guider in charge, said: "It was all going so well and then the heavens just opened.

"We had looked at the weather forecast before we went, but decided to give it a go.

"The rain started at around 5am on Sunday and by 4pm on the same day the children were up to their ankles in mud and it just got wetter and muddier.

"They had to change into dry clothes and eventually had nothing else to wear. We had also drunk our supplies of hot chocolate to keep warm.

"We managed to do some crafts and make dinner, but by 7.30pm we made the decision to abandon camp."

The next day, Monday, with help from parents, the four leaders and Guides packed up their things, leaving just the tents, and headed back to their headquarters in Rustington.

There they resumed the camp, staying overnight on Monday and Tuesday in the hall.

In place of a camp fire, they cooked marshmallows over candles but treated it as an adventure rather than a let-down.

"They really enjoyed it," said Helen. "Although they got soaked and had to leave the campsite they were all in really good spirits and treated it as an adventure which I'm sure they will remember for the rest of their lives.

"I'm so grateful to all the parents who helped us to clear the site.

They were brilliant. Luckily, the tents had dried out when we came to take them down so they could be packed away.

"The children were all so excited about the camp that it was a shame we had to leave, but we made up for it by getting them back together and camping in the hall.

"I think that was important, otherwise they would have been very disappointed.

"They have been fantastic and the parents have been amazing, too. I really don't think we could have done it without their help."