OFF on a Swedish soiree are four explorer scouts from Comet country.

They are looking forward to an experience of a lifetime helping to represent the county on the international stage.

Rosie Blyth, Will Henton Pusey, James Sims and Amy Williams, all from Hitchin, will join 38,000 scouts and guides from 150 countries at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Rinkaby, Sweden from July 27.

The massive number will live in a tented city for 12 days.

The four have been preparing for the adventure for 18 months. They have also had to carry out fundraising for the trip and have washed cars, sold cakes and organised quiz evenings.

Before the jamboree, they will link up with the rest of the 3,500 UK contingent in Copenhagen for three days of activities and fun, and after the big gathering will go to either Croatia or the Czech Republic for three days of home hospitality, staying in the homes of local scouts.

All four are really excited about the jamboree.

They said: “There are so many things we are looking forward to experiencing at the jamboree.

“We will be meeting people from so many different countries and experiencing their culture and food. We will be taking part in activities with them, playing games, talking and just getting to know them. It will be fascinating to meet scouts from places we have only seen on a map.”

Leading one of the two Hertfordshire units is Tony Hankin, assistant district commissioner in Hitchin.

He said: “We have been preparing for this trip for two years and it is going to be an amazing experience for everyone.

“We know that, even on our small area of the jamboree site, we will be camping with scouts from 29 other countries including Canada, Guyana, Mozambique and Russia and we will have the chance to meet and get to know scouts from across the world. There is no other event like it.’”