Bear Grylls flies in for scout event at Wolverhampton airport

Crowds flocked to Halfpenny Green airport, near Wolverhampton, to see the former SAS solider turned TV personality, who typically arrived in style, touching down in a helicopter.

But, for the day at least, he was not playing up to his role as no-nonsense survival leader, but talking up the benefits of joining the Scouts.

Grylls is the UK's Chief Scout and ambassador for the group - and there could be no-one better than the respected adventurer to explain why children should get out into the wild and learn new skills.

He has become famous for his incredible feats of survival, travelling across the world to some of the most remote and harshest locations.

But yesterday, he had to make do with the Staffordshire countryside.

Grylls was immediately mobbed by hundreds of excitable children as he stepped off the helicopter, posing for selfies and having countless books and pieces of paper thrust his way to be signed.

The star lapped it up, stopping to speak to youngsters during a tour of the Bobbington airport, which for the day became an activity zone, featuring adventure climbing, archery and firelighting for families to get involved with.

Grylls stopped to help children practice archery before addressing the crowd from a balcony.

Those invited to see Grylls were children on Scouts waiting lists and their families. The aim of the TV star's appearance was to show them what was waiting for them when they join the Scouts.

He also called for more adults to become Scout leaders, the lack of which is the main reason there are so many children on waiting lists.

He told the crowd: "Scouting is growing faster than it ever has before. We are 40 million strong, that's like a big country, and it is rooted in respect, tolerance and a sense of family.

"Never take what you have got for granted. You really are part of something extraordinary, a worldwide force for good.

"Respect to young leaders who are inspiring young people. We can't keep pace with recruiting more and more adult volunteers.

"My message is to get involved. Be part of a family, a family that makes a difference.

"Scouting works because we ask busy people to give up a little bit of time to inspire young people."

Grylls said it was especially important in an age where children are growing up with laptops and smartphones that they were encouraged to get outside as much as possible.

He told the Express & Star: "The easy route isn't always the good route. The easy route is sat in front of our screens but children need to get out into the world.

"You don't have to climb Everest, you can go into your garden or the local park.

"There are tens of thousands of kids that want to join. We are growing faster than ever before. What young person doesn't want to have fun, have adventures and a sense of belonging?"

Grylls' visit to Halfpenny Green was part of a whirlwind day visiting Scout groups across the country. He also stopped off in Kent and Lincolnshire, meeting thousands of budding Scouts.

The event was arranged to coincide with the school holidays, when Grylls is challenging youngsters to get out and learn new skills.

He said: "The summer holidays provide an incredible opportunity for people to have adventures and learn new skills.

"Not only will we support parents and young people to learn new skills that will help them now the skills they learn this summer may well help them save a life or get a job in years to come."

Grylls, 43, whose real name is Edward Michael Grylls, shot to fame through his show Born Survivor, which saw him demonstrate how to survive in some of the most remote and inhospitable locations across the world. He even trekked across the Alaskan wilderness with former US President Barack Obama.

He has since gone on to star in the hit Channel 4 show The Island, where a group of ordinary are challenged to survive on a desert island.

He became the youngest ever Chief Scout at the age of 35 in 2009.