Three girl guides from Ongar have beaten the boys at their own game by emerging as the overall winners of a gruelling 24-hour survival exercise in the wilds of Brentwood.

The trio - Rachel Lucas, Leigh Oddy, and Alison McGuire - were among more than 120 youngsters from the Epping and Ongar scout district who competed in this year's Brass Monkey Camp at the Thriftwood campsite in Orchard Avenue.

And with 1235 points out of a possible 2000, the girls - all of whom are members of the Action Plus group run by Ongar guide leader Paula Matthews - finished almost 100 points ahead of the second-placed 4th Epping Explorer Scouts on 1140.

As in previous years, the challenge was to survive the night without tents or modern camping equipment by building a bivouac shelter against the elements and cooking their food on an open fire.

Speaking at the end of the weekend, 15-year-old Rachel Lucas said the plummeting temperatures had been the biggest concern for her team, adding: "It didn't rain, but it was really cold, especially in the evening.

"We had a fire, but at times it got a bit dark because we couldn't keep the fire going all night.

Epping Forest District Council chairman Doug Kelly - himself a former North Weald scout leader who agreed to act as one of the judges - said he thought the overall standard at the event had been "above average - and in some instances well above average".

Asked what had set the three Ongar girls apart, Cllr Kelly said the trio's organisation and leadership qualities had come through very strongly.

He said: "From the word go they knew exactly how they were going to set the camp out.

"Every one of them knew what they had to do."

Published Tuesday, February 25, 2003

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