PROUD youngsters were joined by crowds of hundreds to witness the grand opening of a new eco Scout hall.

The 1st Martham Scout Group marked the occasion with a day of family fun after waiting nearly nine years for their own community space.

More than 200 people were treated to a bouncy castle, childrens’ games and activities, a free barbecue and a guided tour of the new hall, deemed one of the greenest in the region.

Meanwhile, special badges based on the design on the front of the hall were presented to the Scouts to help mark the day in the troupe’s history.

Paul Abel, Scout leader of 1st Martham Scout Group, said it was a dream come true to officially open their new home on Staithe Road, Martham.

“The reaction has been overwhelming. People are just amazed by the facility on offer to the children. The facilities are just unbelievable.

“It has been a real team effort from everyone involved to the little Beaver who helped open the hall on the day.”

Colin Hodds, who contributed to the development of the new building, officially named and opened the hall on Sunday.

The project took eight years of hard work to raise �110,000 in order to open the hall, which features a range of green-minded and energy-saving features to lower the carbon footprint and running costs.