Lottery winners mark 10 years of hosting scouts

A couple who bought a 15.5 acre (6.2 hectare) woodland in east Kent with their £7.9m National Lottery winnings are now celebrating 10 years of hosting Sea Scout camps on their land.

Ted and Marilyn Newton bought the land in 2006 from their neighbour so their dog Poppy could continue to enjoy walks there.

But in 2015, the couple's Scout leader son Steve suggested they opened up the land to the Dartford Cambria Sea Scouts to make camping trips more affordable.

Mrs Newton said: "Why should we have it all to ourselves?"

The couple and their three children paid into a national lottery syndicate and matched six numbers in the draw in 2009.

They broke the news to their children in person.

Mrs Newton said: "It was quite an emotional evening."

With their winnings, the couple bought a new home and later the woodland.

In the last 10 years, the Newtons have hosted 30 Dartford Sea Scout camps on their land and will hold the next one in March.

The scouts come in the winter months when it is too cold to sail.

Mrs Newton says the seasonal weather has made for some magical moments.

She said: "We had one just after Christmas last year and when the kids woke up the next morning the tents were covered in snow.

"They were absolutely thrilled."

Mrs Newton said: "Sometimes we have the very young ones that are going away from their parents for the first time and that's quite sweet."

Steve Newton added: "It never fails to amaze me when some of the young children, who maybe haven't been in this sort of natural environment before, tentatively start to explore.

"They may start nervously but quickly grow in confidence and are so much more relaxed."

The couple also allow a local primary school and two nurseries to hold forestry classes in the woods.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook on X and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].