IS THIS the Croydon Advertiser news team of the future?

These would-be hacks are already causing the Advertiser's reporters to feel the heat after writing their own stories on subjects from their Scout group's latest events to the freezing cold weather.

The youngsters from 19th Riddlesdown Scouts, who also wrote the stories to earn their communicator activity badge, are proving there is no shortage of fresh journalistic talent.

Assistant Cub leader Liz O'Brien, 34, said: "It is really to make them think about the environment around them and they did it in groups so it's good for them to learn how to work with each other.

"It took them a little while at first to think about it but once they got going they had loads of ideas. It was a great way of getting them to think about things and the quiet ones often find it easier to write things down than express themselves verbally."