HUNDREDS of young people marked the end of the Girl Guides' centenary celebrations last night.

More than 500 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers and leaders from Darlington Stephenson Division held a two-hour celebration at Darlington College. It included drumming, karaoke, dancing, gladiator duels and girls recording a video diary.

At the end of the party, they took part in a mass Bollywood dance session. Later, they joined other Guides from across the country in a live video link-up to launch the next 100 years of Guiding.

Denise Pearson, who joined as a Brownie 45 years ago and isstill involved as a leader, said: "The centenary year for me has been a series of mountain top moments - with a party of girls and leaders I visited Canada and their centenary camp in July and then returned to be part of the staff at the UK Centenary camp.

But equally as important have been the local events such as the launch at Sedgefield Racecourse, going to the Big Gig at Wembley and taking part in the Adventure 100 Challenge with my Brownies.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed celebrating being part of the movement with the girls of today, who are the leaders of tomorrow. This evening's party has been a brilliant finale to the first century and a launch of our vision for the next century."

The Guiding movement was founded in 1910 - a year after a small group of young women gatecrashed the Boy Scout rally at Crystal Palace Park, in London, and lobbied Robert Baden-Powell for "something for the girls".