4 Beavers from the 12th and 18th Cambridge colonies joined 17 fellow Beaver Scouts and 10 leaders from around the County for the first ever County Beaver Sleepover.

The event, held in November at the Copley Centre in St.Ives, saw representatives from 4 districts taking part and was an experiment to test the concept.

Following a scientific theme, the Beavers made air powered rockets that they launched over 20 feet into the night sky and miniature rafts with glow stick masts which were tested in the stream under the cover of darkness.

Beavers searched by torchlight for nocturnal animals and then gathered around a campfire with Professor Wontolla to sing about other Mad Professors and test the incredible enlarging machine. And that was only part of it!

Keeping them all going for the evening wasn't hard as they prepared their own Pizzas and fresh fruit punch, sizzled sausages over open fires and decorated their cakes with as many e-numbers as we could find (maybe we'll review this activity before next time!).

Speaking after the event, Simon commented;

"It's been absolutely brilliant and we wouldn't have missed it for the world. If anything, the Beavers have had lots of fun, made new friends and can say they've been part of something unique in Cambridgeshire."

All of the Beavers who took part walked away with a special 'Cromwell District Sleepover Badge', which is a tradition from the hosts. They also completed the Nights Away Stage 1, as well as the Adventure and Experiment Activity Badges.

Plans are already underway for a second County sleepover in 2007, but with 4 different colonies from 4 different districts.