'Disgust' as time capsule is wrecked

TWO teenagers have been questioned by police after a time capsule buried in Chipping Sodbury five years ago was dug up and damaged.

The capsule, which contained poems and pictures from local schoolchildren, as well as newspapers and business flyers, was buried in The Ridings Memorial Garden during a ceremony in 2018.

Avon and Somerset police say they are investigating.

Sergeant Rob Turner, from the Neighbourhood Policing team, said: “Following a social media post about the time capsule being dug up, two teenagers attended a police station with their parents, and they’ll be voluntarily interviewed at a future date in connection with the criminal damage offence.

“The contents of the capsule, which had been strewn under a hedge, was also handed into the police station.

“Sadly, some of the contents have been destroyed by the weather but we’ve been able to dry out and salvage all of the children’s pictures and most of the photos, which we’ll give back to the original owner of the capsule.

“We’d like to thank the community for their ongoing support with this investigation.”

The time capsule was buried by the Sodbury Big Lunch team as part of Chipping Sodbury’s 800th anniversary celebrations.

Inside were items which offered a snapshot in time of the town. They included items donated by local businesses and made by local school children.

Mayor James Ball who was at the official burying of the capsule, offered a reward for help tracing the culprits, saying he was “sickened and disgusted”.

Sodbury Big Lunch organiser Alexandra Arnall, who was with the mayor at the burying, posted an image on social media of the dislodged paving slab over where it had been buried.

She said the team were devastated, adding: "Not only were the items inside a snapshot in time of our wonderful town, they were irreplaceable pieces of history donated by local businesses with many items made especially by local schoolchildren.

"We had taken photos of every business owner in the town outside their premises, some of which have now changed hands, and made a detailed album cataloguing our local town’s economy in that year.

"Also contained were lots of items to remember the medieval celebrations of 2018 marking the anniversary. Not to forget the time and effort that went into collecting all the memorabilia and photographs.

“We are truly devastated by such wanton vandalism and theft of something meant for future generations to learn about Chipping Sodbury’s history.”