Queen scout delights brave cub and beaver

But not Biggleswade’s newly appointed Queen Scout, 20-year-old Jason Lattimer.

After taking part in the parade of 525 Queen Scouts he was accompanying the official tour of the invited guests around the parade ground when he broke away from the dignified party to greet a cub and a beaver with joyful high fives, much to the delight of onlookers.

Jason discovered later that these two youngsters had both received bravery awards; one for saving his grandmother who had lapsed into a diabetic coma.

The story and picture were quickly picked up by the online scouting community.

Jason’s mother Bev said: “I can’t believe how many people have posted comments.

“And it’s all down to the quick thinking photographer nearby who turned out to be county commissioner Matt Rooney from Nottingham.

“We knew early on that Jason was going to be a handful when he got bored at a rugby football match and chose to shin up one of the goal posts! He was just four at the time.”

Jason’s quest to gain his Queen Scout Award– which he was awarded at the start of the year – included a year long educational visit to Borneo to teach youngsters as part of an aid programme.

There he faced poisonous spiders, an army of red ants up a coconut tree and a giant rat that chose him as a sleeping partner one night.

He also took time out to cycle 1100 miles around the tropical island to raise funds for a cancer charity.

Jason is now studying physiotherapy at York St John University. With a shy grin he said: “I only hope they let me keep my Queen Scout Award after all this.”