A £320,000 Scout headquarters is to open in Chudleigh on Saturday, September 3.

Purpose built for the 1st Chudleigh Scout Group, it is in the town centre play park, off Fore Street, and replaces a 50-year-old hut well past its sell-by date.

The building will also accommodate the Teign Valley Children's Centre and the Daisy Chain Pre-school.

The new headquarters finally became reality through fundraising by the Scouts, along with donations of £250,000 from Devon County Council for the children's centre and pre-school, and £20,000 from Viridor Waste Management through Ugbrooke Environmental Ltd from the Landfill Communities Fund.

Both the Garfield Weston and the Cloth Workers Foundation Charities also helped.

In ten years the number of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers in the Chudleigh troop has almost doubled to more than 120.

Scout Group chairman Dave Waller thanked the generosity of so many people in helping to replace the old hut with a much larger purpose built building.

'It will give us more up to date facilities and much more space. Our old hall, kitchen and toilets would all fit inside the new hall with space to spare,' he said.

The Teign Valley Children's Centre is run by the charity Action for Children in partnership with the county council and will provide a range of services for families with children aged under five across the Teign Valley. That includes parenting advice, support for learning and employment, links to family health services and a range of play activities.

The Ofsted registered Daisy Chain Pre-school moves into the building from the old hut catering for two-five-year-olds.

Cllr Jerry Brook, who represents Chudleigh Rural on the county council, said the realisation of the building was a proud achievement for the individuals and organisations that had worked so hard to make it happen.

The building was designed by Gary Dobson, of Devon Cab, and constructed by local builder FREMAT.

Lord Clifford is performing the opening ceremony and there will be a reception for representatives of organisations involved and an opportunity for everyone to take a look around.

There is to be a display of old photographs of the history of Scouting in Chudleigh, and the Group is hoping to trace more photographs and any Scout memorabilia.

Anyone who can help should contact Mr Waller on 01626 854266.