INEOS Fluor has provided a life-line for a scout group.

The Runcorn chemical company donated £1,000 towards the cost of a new building for the Cestrian Scout group.

The scout group's hut in Thomas has been repeatedly targeted by vandals and arsonsists.

Only last month a fire was started in the kitchen after a break in.

Alan Leicester, European operations manager for Ineos Fluor, said: "Cestrian Scouts were the victims of vandals three times in six weeks and the last attack burned the hut down.

"They have effectively been homeless for nearly two years while they tried to find somewhere else to hold their meetings as the old hut was deemed irreparable."

The new scout hut will be built on land held by Ineos Fluor's sister company, Ineos Chlor.

The company is also letting the Scouts rent the land at a much reduced rate.

Alan Goodier, an executive Committee Member, said: "Ineos Fluor has worked with us for months and we're grateful of the help.

"This donation means that we can start building our new scout hut, which will be used by 18 Explorer scouts between the ages of 14 and 18.

"We expect that the building will be ready early next year."