THE Brown Owl who ran Charmouth's Brownies for 18 years has made a desperate, final call for a new leader to come for ward and save the pack from closure. Anthea Thomas, 57, has been looking for someone to take over the reins since she stepped down from the post in July because of family commitments. Almost 30 girls, aged from seven to ten years old, were part of Charmouth's Brownie group and there was a healthy waiting list of girls keen to join up. But since July the group's accounts have been frozen and if someone can't be found to replace Mrs Thomas, the group will be forced to close. Mrs Thomas said: "It needs someone younger with more energy. We have frozen everything for a year in the hope that someone will come along. It just seems such a shame." There have been Brownies in Charmouth since the 1920s, and apart from during the war, the group has always been popular with village girls who enjoy tak ing part in the activities, camps and fund raising events organised by the Brown Owl and her helper Tawny Owl. Last year the pack tracked down the village's oldest brownie Rita Whatmore, who joined when she was seven years old in 1939. Mrs Thomas said the cur rent group all missed their weekly meetings at St Andrew's community hall where as well as activities and badges, they sang and made cards and gifts for fel low Brownies on their birth days. She said: "It's the little thing like that that they miss." Mrs Thomas said a new Brown Owl would be given full training by the Brownies organisation and would always have the support and back up of her and her Tawny Owl Sheila Clist. Anyone who thinks they can help should call Anthea Thomas on 01297 560 465.