A SCOUT group in Clitheroe is set to be reopened next year after being closed following the leader’s retirement.

Ian Grimshaw stood down from running the St Michael and St John’s Scout Group after more than 20 years three ago and no volunteer was found to take the role on.

The group has only been running a cubs section since and membership dropped to six shortly after the main group closed.

However, the numbers have since recovered to 21, and a number of the cubs will be ready to move up to the new section in September.

The scouts are now appealing for three volunteers to come forward to run the section when it opens next year.

Group Scout leader, Julia Kennedy, said: “It was such a shame when the section had to close.

“Ian had run it for so long but we couldn’t seem to find anybody who was willing to take it on.

“The numbers of Cubs fell quite low not too long ago but have recovered and now we are expecting a lot of them to be moved up to Scouts in the middle of September.

“It’s great for Scouting in Clitheroe, especially with our centenary year in 2014.”

The Cubs currently meet at the St Michael and St John’s Scouts and Guides HQ in Lowergate Clitheroe every Monday from 6.30pm to 8pm.

The new Scout section will either meet on a Wednesday or Friday at the same time.

Scouts in Clitheroe will mark the group’s centenary year in 2014 with a Founder’s Day service, a special week-long centenary camp at Waddow Hall and a St George’s Day parade.

Ian Macdonald, district commissioner of Clitheroe Scouts, said: “It’s fantastic that this group is expanding at such a terrific rate and the more Scout groups that we can open in the area then the more young people will get involved.

“Scouting is all about empowerment and serving the local community and leaders can be part of that as well.”