A group of Beavers based in Mendlesham have welcomed two new leaders after launching a desperate appeal to save their colony.

The Mendlesham Beaver Colony had just three members back in March, and faced closure at the end of July if nobody stepped up to take charge of the group.

However the colony has now welcomed not one, but two new leaders – brother and sister team Tanya and Michael Richardson.

According to Martyn Bryant, from the 1st Mendlesham Scout Group, the Richardson siblings had attended Mendlesham Scouts in the past – and took up the leadership roles to give something back to the group.

Now the colony has grown to 14 members, more than four times its previous size.

It comes after a difficult patch for the group, who had to make plans for a new home after their HQ in Mendlesham Green was demolished for safety reasons.

Apart from Mendlesham, the Beavers’ catchment area includes the villages Stoke Ash, Gislingham, Cotton, Old Newton, Stowupland, Stonham, Wetheringsett among others.