Army cadets from Basingstoke got behind the wheel of an innovative new off-road vehicle during their annual camping trip.
The youngsters tried their hand in Bocarts, four-wheel petrol go-kart that can be driven across fields and through water. The six newly purchased Bocarts replaced the group's old go kart collection, which could only be driven on flat tracks.
Other activities the cadets tried their hand at included map reading, first aid, kayaking, climbing, archery and mountain biking at the camp, in Thetford, Norfolk. They camp also had an international flavour with 12 Lithuanian cadets and their instructor taking part as part of a twinning venture between the Baltic nation and the UK.
They joined around 650 cadets and 250 adult instructors from across the county. County Commandant Colonel Rod Lambert said: “This is the highlight of the cadet year, something cadets talk about before they come and long after they return home. This year we have done things differently in that the cadets have stayed with their detachments rather than their training level. This has had a positive effect of less homesickness because they are among their friends.
“The most exciting aspect for cadets however, is our first year with the cross country Bocarts, which are proving extremely popular and are the stars of camp. We are fortunate to have had financial support from the Hampshire County Council Youth Department and the South East Reserve Forces and Cadet Association that enabled us to buy a total of six machines."
