HASBURY Scouts are celebrating a historic victory in a district-wide camping competition.

A five-strong team earned the Jaquiss Shield for the third time in the troop’s history, gaining top marks in the weekend-long contest at Blackwell Court, near Bromsgrove.

The boys, aged 11 to 14, proved they were the best through a variety of challenges including tent pitching, fire lighting, backwoods cooking on an open fire, archery, orienteering and building with logs and ropes.

They also took part in a blindfolded SAS-type assault course, team building challenges and an initiative test.

Harvey Williams, aged 11, went on to win gold for the younger Scouts and Lewis Richards, aged 13, took bronze for the old Scouts in the cross country run.

The camping competition was started in 1931 by Oldbury-born Joseph Jaquiss who set up Scouting in Halesowen.

Scout leader Adrian Jones said: “Hasbury has won the competition twice before in 1961 and 1991, so the 2014 success is a historic win for the scouts involved.”

He added: “This was a terrific achievement for the Scouts. This competition is a real test of outdoor skills and good teamwork.”

Hasbury Scouts is open to boys and girls, aged 10 to 15, and meets at its headquarters in the passage between St Margaret's Drive and Red Leasowes Road on Tuesdays at 7pm.