PICTURES: Brownies lay a piece of 2021 at North Petherton development

Face masks, Covid-19 tests, uniforms and diary entries were among the items planted in the capsule at a new housing development on the outskirts of the town this week.

The 1st North Petherton Brownies planted the future artefact at Barratt Homes' Royal View development.

The Brownies group have spent the last few weeks gathering written reflections about their hobbies, interests, ambitions, thoughts and feelings, and finding items that mean something to them.

These are now sealed in the capsule along with a selection of the iconic Brownie badges and some objects unique to 2020/21 which reflect what it means to be a young person in today's society.

A group of 14 girls aged 7 to 10 visited Royal View and together with the site manager laid their time capsule in the foundations in the first of the 130 homes now being built on the new development.

Contents also include notes about their goals for the future - everything from becoming a doctor or a vet to getting their ears pierced and working in McDonald's, and lists of some of their favourite things, which include Harry Potter, their pets, and the colour pink.

Adrienne Parry, Snowy Owl for the 1st North Petherton Brownies accompanied the girls on the visit.

"The Brownies have been really excited and involved in this project and were thrilled to be able to place the time capsule in the foundations of these new homes for future generations to discover," she said.

"The notes and memories they've shared, particularly in relation to the Covid pandemic, have captured the spirit of the age, really.

"Many talked about missing their grandparents through the lockdowns and long periods when they couldn't see friends or go to school, which goes to show what an impact the pandemic has had on them and all of us.

"Burying the capsule was an exciting moment for the girls, and the first time they had been involved in anything like this.

"Many of us don't even think about the future, but they have left something that will last a long time."

This development's name, Royal View, is a reference to its heritage as the original site of a deer park owned by King Henry II who used timber from its oak trees to build nearby churches and buildings.

The site has easy access to the Quantock Hills to the west, designated England's first official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956.

Andrea Pilgrim, sales director at Barratt Bristol, added: "We are thrilled to have had the Brownie group at Royal View, and to have buried their time capsule in the foundations of the first of the new homes we are building on the edge of North Petherton.

"It's exciting to think of future generations here overlooking the Quantock Hills, finding these items and understanding a little about life as a young person in 2021 and what the Covid pandemic meant to them.

"With a full range of homes now under construction here, we're looking forward to building a vibrant, balanced community with plenty to offer from beautiful countryside and walks down the River Parrett, to play areas, open spaces and a farm shop on the doorstep."

The mix of homes, which will include 30% affordable, is designed to appeal to a diverse range of people, helping to create a balanced new community for the village, and will include two new play areas and cycle paths.

To find out more about the new homes at Royal View or to register your interest, visit www.barratthomes.co.uk.

HELPING HANDS: Barratt Homes bricklayer Josh Cooksley with Brownies Scarlett Scribbins-Earl, left, and Sophie Holt