A scout group, unsure where it will meet in the this year, says fundraising for a new eco-friendly hut is now more important than ever.The 1st Mundesley (Air) Scouts began raising money for a new headquarters made from straw to replace their damp, rotten, leaking building on Cromer Road more than three years ago.

A scout group, unsure where it will meet in the this year, says fundraising for a new eco-friendly hut is now more important than ever.

The 1st Mundesley (Air) Scouts began raising money for a new headquarters made from straw to replace their damp, rotten, leaking building on Cromer Road more than three years ago.

So far, thanks to fundraising events, a �25,000 grant from the Norfolk Youth Fund and a generous �50,000 donation from the parish council, the group has gathered almost �100,000 - but still needs another �50,000 to reach its target.

More events are planned for this year and half the proceeds from the Mundesley Boxing Day dip were due to be given to the group - with several of the scouts and adult helpers braving the icy water in exchange for sponsorship.

But Heather Palmer, group scout leader, said the need for funds was becoming greater every day.

She said: 'We have been using the old hut up until Christmas, but it's so wet and it leaks like a sieve so it will probably be that we cannot let the kids down there anymore.'

The scouts will look for a temporary building to use and hope the money raised so far is enough to get the building project started as soon as possible while they work to find the rest.

The group leader said the new, green building would be for the whole community to use.

She added: 'We are trying to damage the environment as little as possible. The building will be recycled tyres as the foundations, a straw bale construction for the walls and a living roof. The idea is that it will filter the rain water which will go into storage tanks and can be used to flush the toilets. The life span of the building is about 150 years.'