TWO Girlguides from Stourport were part of a team which conquered Europe in a regional competition.

Lucy Fellows, 16 and Sophie Turbutt, 15, both Stourport High School students, were members of the Prison Pears, who won gold in the Girlguiding Midlands jailbreak challenge, which saw competitors try to visit as many European countries as possible.

The eight-member winning group competed against 13 other teams and more than 100 other Guides. They left Droitwich’s Girlguiding headquarters - “the prison” - at 2am on Saturday, July 27 and returned to the UK a week later.

The Pears made their way through Switzerland, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium, travelling a total of 3,000 miles and spending about 46 hours on trains.

Highlights of the trip included visiting spa baths in Budapest, venturing up Bratislava’s UFO observation tower and having photos taken in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Lucy said: “The standard was so high so we were so proud when we won and were presented with our first place gold medals at the awards ceremony in front of the other teams and our parents.

“We were all so shocked and honoured to have won after all the hard work we had put into the planning of the trip and overwhelmed at how amazing the trip was. We have definitely made new friends and memories that we will keep for life.”

Participants had to collect points and were awarded bonuses for visiting places or attractions beginning with the letter “b”. The winning team was announced on Sunday, August 4, at a presentation and award ceremony in Birmingham.

Competitors raised funds for their escapade themselves by bag packing, cake sales, entertainment evenings and selling homemade gifts.

Lucy was nominated to carry the Olympic torch last year for coping with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). She is also a carer for her mother, who suffers from a severe form of the same condition, which causes constant joint pains and fatigue.