A CLASH between activists and an annual scouts’ parade has been averted at the eleventh hour.

As many as 1,000 scouts, beavers and cubs are set to take part in the yearly St George’s Parade in Colchester town centre this Sunday.

The parade usually takes place at 2.15pm but organisers have agreed to bring forward the start time to 2pm after it emerged the Colchester People’s Assembly planned to march on virtually the same route, also at 2pm.

Duncan Kury, scout parade marshal, said: “It was no great problem, we had it brought to our attention and contacted the council and the police.

“We had a meeting with the Safety Advisory Group and it has all been sorted out.

“The other group have put back their start time half an hour - it has been very amicable.”

The People’s Assembly march will now start at 2.30pm from the Lewis Gardens area.

Activists will march against austerity via St John’s Street, Head Street, High Street and Queen Street before concluding with a rally at St Botolph’s Church, including a speech by Kiri Tunks, National Education Union (NUT Section).

The scouts’ parade, comprising about 25 different groups, and led by the Colchester Estuary District, will leave from Britannia car park.

Their route will also follow St John’s Street, Head Street and into High Street where they will pause for a salute outside the town hall.

They will then continue into Upper Castle Park for a ceremony.

Groups from Colchester’s two districts and surrounding areas are set to take part to honour England’s patron saint.

Amanda Kirke, secretary of Colchester People’s Assembly, said: “We will assemble at 1.30pm and there will be speeches from 2pm to 2.25pm.

“The march commences and we go down St John’s Street towards Head Street - hopefully the scouts will be gone by then.

“Initially we met with the police and they didn’t mention the scout parade and three to four days later they said they had just been made aware of it and asked if we knew about it.

“Last week we had a meeting with the Safety Advisory Group - comprising the council and emergency services - and with them we agreed we would go at 2.30pm, after the scouts.”

n Pictures of both events will be in next week's Daily Gazette and on our website.