Builders dig up Blue Peter time capsule - 33 years too early

When beloved children's show Blue Peter buried a time capsule back in the 1990s, they hadn't intended for it to be unearthed until 2050.

However, builders at the O2 Arena where the nostalgic treasure trove has been lying deep underground for nearly 20 years have brought the piece of history to light a little too early - 33 years to be precise.

Buried in 1998 by the BBC show's then-presenters Katy Hill and Richard Bacon, it contains a mix of pop culture items and objects of historical significance.

Though the capsule itself has been damaged, all the items - chosen by viewers - are believed to be intact.

Inside the capsule:

  • Spice Girls CD

  • Tamagotchi toy

  • Photographs of Princess Diana

  • Tellytubby dolls

  • Roller blade wheels

  • Roald Dahl book,

  • France 1998 World Cup football,

  • Video of a child's walk to school

  • A grandfather's letter about what had changed during his lifetime

  • A picture of a dove to symbolise peace in Northern Ireland.

The capsule was buried 15 feet under the Millennium Dome - now the O2 Arena.

An O2 spokesman said the concert venue has promised to help rebury the "bashed" capsule and would repair or replace the container.

The discovery has actually solved a problem for the O2 team and the BBC, who had been searching for the precise location of the capsule for months.

While they knew roughly where it had been buried, the spokesman said: "The team at the O2 and our contractors ISG have been searching for the Blue Peter time capsule since we started construction work in 2016."

He dismissed rumours that the workers who damaged the capsule had been fired.

A BBC spokeswoman said the discovery could be a special occasion in itself for Blue Peter viewers, and hinted at the possibility of adding more treasures to the box.

She said: "Although a little earlier than anticipated, we're looking forward to sharing these memories with our viewers and making new ones as we return the capsule to the earth so that it can be reopened in 2050 as originally planned."