Scout leaders today breathed a sigh of relief after scouts from across south Essex were stopped from visiting the Philippines following a grenade attack which killed at least ten people and injured 32.
New year terrorist threats forced the Government and chiefs of the scout movement to cancel plans for youngsters to stay with families in the south east Asian country as part of the 20th World Scout Jamboree.
The scouts, three from Billericay and Wickford, eight from Thurrock and five from Southend, joined 30,000 people at the jamboree in Thailand and were due to fly on to the Philippines on hospitality visits, where they would stay with a family and take in the local culture for a few days.
However, an attack on a statue of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which was blown up on the island of Luzon, and the threat of further attacks justified an urgent decision to abandon the plans.
Heather Butcher, deputy county commissioner for Essex, said: "All of those from Essex have now been relocated to Singapore where they will be put up in a hotel.
"They may not get to stay with a family now but their safety is our priority."
Bernard Clark, Southend district scout commissioner, confirmed five scouts from the Southend district joined the jamboree and one scout leader had been expected to visit the Philippines.
Published Thursday, January 2, 2003
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