TEENAGE Explorer Scouts from Furness have been given a top award for their hard work helping the their local community over the past year.

Projects the Ulverston-based Xenolith Explorer Scouts have tackled include the creation of a community garden on the steps linking The Gill and Stockbridge Lane car park, restocking the planters around the Cumbria Way monument in The Gill car park, and building 30 hedgehog boxes for Dalton’s Hedgehog Rescue Services,

They have also joined forces with Ulverston Rotary Club to work on a garden project for pupils at Broughton Primary School.

In addition they have worked alongside Rotary Club members to clean up litter along the main A590 gateway into Ulverston as well as helping out with car parking duties at this year's Dickensian Festival.

Now their hard work has been rewarded with a special trophy in memory of one of Ulverston Rotary Club's long serving members Philip Broadley.

He died four years ago and the Philip Broadley Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to local young people in recognition of work done within the local community.

The trophy was presented to the Scouts by Mr Broadley's widow Dorothy during a meeting of Ulverston Rotary Club.

Handing the trophy to the Scouts, Mrs Broadley said: “I would like to thank you for all you have done for the people of Ulverston and especially the work you have done with Ulverston Rotary Club in the past year.”

Rotary club president Bill Penny also praised the Scout group, telling them: “Well done, you deserve this award for all your hard work."

Previous winners of the Philip Broadley Memorial Trophy included the inspirational teenager Alice Pyne who died after setting up a charity and raising funds to provide holidays for children like herself with terminal illnesses, and also her sister Millie for her continuing fundraising efforts for the charity.