The oldest and youngest residents of Royal Wootton Bassett gathered to bury a time capsule they hope will last for years.

Letters from pupils, a covid test, school badges and an iPod were among the many items that pupils from Longleaze Primary School buried at Marsh Farm Manor.

The care home, located near Jubilee Lake in Royal Wootton Bassett, opened last year and now residents and local schoolchildren hope that their capsule will be a historic artefact when the site is dug up one day.

The school pupils were joined by Royal Wootton Bassett's Mayor Eve Silvester and residents from the care home to help bury the time capsule, and the event was celebrated with a performance from The Crown Singers.

As well as covid-related items and personal letters, the capsule also includes an iPod Nano which was chosen by the children, photographs and documents relating to the care home, and a pound coin just in case cash ever goes extinct.

“Working on the contents of the time capsule has been a great project for the children and their reflections have been thought-provoking, inspiring and entertaining," said Laura Oakes, headteacher at Longleaze Primary School.

“It’s been a wonderful opportunity for them to engage with different generations and understand the importance of looking after older people in the community.

"I am particularly heartened to think of members of the local community in the future reading letters from our pupils and learning about our life in 2024.”

The Mayor, Councillor Eve Silvester, added: “The contents put forward by the pupils from Longleaze Primary School offer a fascinating snapshot of life in the early 21st century.

"It was lovely to meet the pupils along with residents of Marsh Farm Manor, and celebrate the provision of care and support offered to the local community.”

Despite the old age of its 66 residents, Marsh Farm Care Home is still relatively new to Bassett, and offers first class residential and dementia care.

The home is unlike most care homes as it includes a hairdressing and beauty salon, bar area, activity areas and access to private landscaped gardens with seating areas.

Marietta Cranfield, Marsh Farm Manor Manager, said: “We were thrilled to welcome the children from the local school and the Mayor to our new state-of-the-art care home.”

“At Anchor helping people enjoy later life is our passion and we are delighted to be able to engage with the local community to celebrate bringing a new home to the area."