History in the making

A Fenland school planted time capsules at its village church to mark completion of restoration work on a tomb damaged by vandals two years ago. The tomb at Wisbech St Mary Parish Church was sealed on Monday, but not before 11-year-old Eddie Clayton and fo

A Fenland school planted time capsules at its village church to mark completion of restoration work on a tomb damaged by vandals two years ago.

The tomb at Wisbech St Mary Parish Church was sealed on Monday, but not before 11-year-old Eddie Clayton and four-year-old Jodie Haines, the oldest and youngest pupils at the village primary school, joined church members in planting the capsules inside the tomb.

Brian Payne, village historian, parish councillor and vice-chairman of the Parochial Church Council, said: "These give an indication of life in the church and school in 2007."

Pens, pencils and a calculator were among the items in the school's capsule, along with the prospectus, a CD-rom of the school and copies of the Government's literacy and numeracy framework.

The tomb, in the churchyard, is over the vault of the Abbott family, farmers in Wisbech St Mary in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

It was damaged by vandals two years ago and had to be dismantled for safety reasons.

Mr Payne said: "Because the police made no arrests, the church has had to find £4,000 to pay for the restoration.

"The tomb was reinstated because of some very fine carvings on the side.