HUNDREDS of Brownies took part in a torch relay across north Hampshire to celebrate a very special birthday.

The Big Brownie Birthday saw a torch made at Basingstoke College of Technology carried around the borough by girls in uniform.

The celebrations, which took place over the Bank Holiday weekend, marked 100 years of the Brownies.

The torch relay started from BCoT, in Worting Road, early on Saturday.

From there, the torch was taken to Winklebury, before visiting Oakley, Whitchurch, Tadley and Kingsclere by bus.

Around 100 girls from the Kingsclere and Silchester divisions picked up the torch at the Fieldgate Centre, in Field Gate Drive, and marched it to Kingsclere Primary School, off George Street.

There, the Brownies had a picnic lunch, finished off with a slice of birthday cake.

Susan Huntingdon, Brownie advisor, was pleased with the turnout.

She said: “It has been fantastic and we could not have asked for better weather.

“The leaders have been amazing and have pulled out all the stops, and we have had good support from parents.”

Over the weekend, the torch was taken to areas including Andover, Alton, Aldershot, Fleet, and Hartley Wintney, before ending its journey at the War Memorial Park, in Basingstoke, on Monday evening where the Brownies were greeted by Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane Councillor Dan Putty.

Each Brownie received a special badge for taking part in the relay.