Arrest as £200k stolen from scouts trip fund

A man has been arrested on suspicion of theft after about £200,000 raised towards a scouts trip to Canada was stolen, leaving 100 children across Herefordshire and Worcestershire in the lurch.

Scout leaders have told parents that a two-week trip due to take place this summer has been cancelled after the money was found to be missing from a charity account.

Parents and scouts had been fundraising since the start of last year, with the excursion costing £2,750 per child.

A spokesperson for Hereford and Worcester Scouts said: "We continue to co-operate fully with the ongoing police investigation."

The visit was due to include 100 children and 27 scout volunteers, taking in areas including Toronto and Niagara, in either July or August.

The BBC understands as recently as February it was still set to go ahead, until scout leaders found the money was missing.

Parents have been promised their money will be refunded, although they have been told it could take several weeks.

One parent, who did not want to be identified, said: "My son is 13 and was due to go on this trip - I'm owed more than £2,200.

"This is such a shame for all the kids, mine is absolutely devastated. As recently as February, we were told this trip was going ahead."

Another said: "I spent 100 hours of my own time fundraising - it's really disappointing and frustrating to say the least. I just can't believe how this has happened."

'Committed to covering missing funds'

The BBC has seen a letter to parents, in which scout leaders said they believed money was taken "over an extended period of time" from a bank account that was "set up specifically for trips".

In the letter, the scouts also said they had tried to resurrect the trip after the money went missing, but it became financially unviable due to the exchange rates and cost of living factors.

A spokesperson for Hereford and Worcester Scouts said: "As soon as we became aware that something was wrong with the operation of this expedition, we submitted reports to both the police and the Charity Commission regarding suspected missing funds.

"At this stage, it is important to note that Hereford and Worcester Scouts has committed to covering any missing charitable funds so that young people and their families are not disadvantaged."

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "On Friday 9 January we received a report of theft from the Hereford and Worcester Scouts.

"A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft and has since been released under investigation. An investigation is ongoing."