The police have confirmed that they received an alarm early on Saturday morning that between four and twelve people are apparently not accounted for at the annual get together.

Those missing are, according to reports, from Sierra Leone in West Africa. Their belongings were left behind at the camp, reports the daily newspaper Sydsvenskan, although police are keeping an open mind on whether it is a criminal matter or not.

“We are currently identifying the exact number and where the missing have gone.” Said Jens Nygren, police internal command in Kristianstad.

“We do not suspect a crime has been committed, we believe they have disappeared voluntarily,” he added.

The scout jamboree is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It was originally set up by Lord Baden Powell, the founder of the scout movement, as a way of bringing together people from all over the world.

The first meeting took place in 1920 and, with the exception of the war years and the cancelled meeting in Iran in 1979, it has taken place every four years ever since. This years event in Sweden is the 22nd.

40,000 people will attend this years week-long event which ends on Saturday. As previously reported, prime minister Göran Reinfeldt will attend the jamboree on Saturday along with his counterparts in Finland and Denmark.