As many as 100 girls took part in a huge sleepover on the pitch at West Ham United’s Upton Park ground as part of an special girls-only Stay Away adventure to mark 100 years of Brownies.

Brownies from across West Ham, all aged seven to 10, pitched their tents on the turf to celebrate the Big Brownie Birthday – which will see Girlguiding members from all over the UK take part in sleepovers, camps and holidays in unexpected places.

Before settling down to snooze, the girls enjoyed a range of exciting activities, including football practise and World Cup themed games.

The activities were drawn from the Brownie Adventure programme, which builds girls’ confidence and self-esteem, encourages them to become active citizens, and gives them a space to have fun and be themselves with other girls.

Srishti Pasco, from 5th West Ham Brownies said: I watched West Ham play on Saturday with my Dad, and then I got to go back to the ground the next day with my friends, I could walk on the pitch, and then camp out on it - I was so excited it was hard to go to sleep. It was amazing.

Megan O’Meara, from 5th West Ham Brownies said: I’ve had a fantastic time, I still can’t believe that West Ham United let us camp on their pitch - just brilliant

Susan Mawhood, Commissioner for West Ham, said: “This was a really exciting adventure for all of the girls in West Ham, The Brownies took part in lots of activities, but the favourites were trying to score a goal and bubble wands... It was great to see the girls walking around the pitch with huge smiles on their faces.

“We did everything we set out to do, but most of all we had a good time, and the staff at WHUFC were so helpful.”

For more information about the Big Brownie Birthday and how to join Girlguiding go to girlguiding.org.uk.