Saffron Walden District Scouts take part in Jailbreak 2024

The event saw 270 scouts, explorer scouts and adults take part in the challenge from across Saffron Walden and beyond.

Participants aim to get from Point A to the end base at Point B in a set amount of time. Each team typically starts the event with 10 'lives', and they can pick up extra lives en route while avoiding losing lives to teams of leaders chasing them.

1st Clavering & 1st Newport Scouts ‘B’ Team at one of the checkpoints. (Image: Saffron Walden District Scouts) For safety reasons, this year's event was shortened due to bad weather beforehand. However the fundamental rules of the challenge - and the focus on fun and teamwork - stayed the same, with scouts travelling from Point A to Point B while keeping out of the catchers' grasp.

This year saw team 'Carver 1' from 1st Thaxted-Carver Scout Group win the shield in the scout section, while the winners of the explorer scout section were Saffron Walden Town Explorer Unit 'The Lads' team, led by Eoin Bailey.

Eoin also led the winning Saffron Walden Town Explorer Unit 'Black' team last year, so was congratulated on his victory for the second year running.

1st Saffron Walden Scouts ‘Cobras’ Team at one of the checkpoints (Image: Saffron Walden District Scouts) There is also a shield for the winners of an 'invitational section', and this year that section had teams from scout groups in Southend Estuary, Watford and Harlow taking part.

Team 1 from Harlow District Phoenix Explorer Unit secured a win in their first time taking part.

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Organiser Kevin Rule said: "This event shows you what scouting is really all about – having a fun time and working together as part of a team in order to achieve personal and group success.

"Well done to all of the participants, who this year coped really well with last minute changes – and to the rest of the organising team for helping enable those changes! A great team effort!"

Last year's Jailbreak was the 20th time Saffron Walden District Scouts had run the event, which usually runs for 24 hours from around midday on a Saturday to the same time on the Sunday.