The premises at Union Street Baptist Church, Crewe, were used by the South West Cheshire District of the Scouts as its communication hub to mark both One World Week and the Scout movement's Jamboree of the Air.

A temporary radio mast was set up next to the church and three short-wave radio sets were used to link up with scouts around the world.

Contact was made with New Zealand and South Carolina. One of the rooms was also set up as an internet café, with local scouts able to communicate with any of the other 500 groups participating worldwide.

On Sunday morning a special Skype link was set up with a scout group in Canberra, Australia, through the family of one of the church members.

The groups were able to talk with each other, comparing notes on their respective camp experiences, and the groups came together to sing Kum Ba Yah.

Sian Finch, an Australian scout leader, said her group had enjoyed the experience, particularly 'the comments about Crewe being wet and miserable, and camping'.

Paul Boskett, one of the Union Street deacons and Group scout leader of 15th South West Cheshire, the group attached to the church responded: 'It was a real privilege to play the guitar for you as we all sang a the song together. That was a magic moment!'

Union Steet minister the Revd Andrew Taylor said, 'All involved recognised from this practical exchange that it is indeed One World, and it was acknowledged in the service that morning that we are increasingly united in our stewardship of the planet, in the relationships which bind people to people and in the all-embracing love of God.'