Brian Childs founded the 1st Otley Scouts group 40 years ago is resigning from his leadership position this year.

It followed a thanksgiving service held in the village to celebrate local scouting held earlier this month.

Mr Childs, aged 66 and who still lives in Otley, formed the 1st Otley Scouts with friend and former colleague in the Territorial Army Keith Short in 1975. In 1977 the Cub Scout groups were launched. Several years later Beaver Scouts began.

While Mr Childs is standing down from his current role, he insists he is not leaving scouting altogether.

He said: “I feel very strongly that scouting has been 40 years in Otley because the Lord has supported us and inspired us for 40 years.

“I decided at 66, it’s time. I thought ‘this is becoming quite physically tough to do. It’s a demanding role, but the leaders I have got here are absolutely brilliant. People can stay too long in a role. We need to stand back and let the youngsters take control. It’s time to do that. I’m not leaving scouting completely.”

He said that among the highlights of being Scout leader for so long was watching so many children grow into adults through the club.

He added: “It’s something which offers an enormous amount of variety of activities for the boys, and now girls. You get in touch with nature and creation. It’s brilliant to see them achieving. It offers a real foundation for life...to develop mentally, physically and spiritually. Whatever we do we have an attachment to one of those things. So often we think ‘I will never be able to do that’, then someone encourages you and you think ‘I can do anything’.”