A SPECIAL flame that was lit in Africa passed through Winchester on Monday afternoon.

The Scout and Guide spirit flame, part of this year's Scouting centenary celebrations, was lit on the site of the grave of the founder of the world Scouting movement, Lord Robert Baden Powell, in Nyeri, Kenya, in February.

Since then, it has travelled as far as possible by non-mechanical means across the continents.

On Monday it arrived in Petersfield and passed through East Meon, Cheriton, then Winchester and Romsey, as it continued on its journey to Brownsea Island, off Poole in Dorset, where the first Scout camp was held on August 1, 1907.

It entered Winchester in a classic car before being transferred to a trek cart - pulled by Beavers, Cubs and Scouts - and was taken through the city to the Hampshire Hog at the top of the High Street.

John Le Riche, leader of the Beaver colony at the 3rd Winchester (The Worthies) Scout Group, said: "It means that the flame of scouting is still alive. We have been going 100 years - we are the biggest youth organisation in the world.

"Scouting started in Winchester in 1908, the same year as every other place when Scouting For Boys was published, and there's been scouting here without a stop ever since and we're still going strong."

As part of the centenary, 4,000 Scouts from across Hampshire are spending this week taking part in activities at New Park Farm in the New Forest.

In Essex, the World Scout Jamboree sees 40,000 Scouts marking the occasion.