PENSIONERS were on hand to help bury a time capsule at a new retirement village in South Gloucestershire last Friday.

Around 100 people turned up to contribute to the time capsule, which was buried at the new £53million Stoke Gifford Retirement village.

Items donated included newspapers, teddy bears and "what's on" leaflets.

Many of the pensioners are hoping to move into the village, which is due to open near to the University of the West of England in 2018.

77-year-old Miriam Galway attended the event and expressed her hope that she may be able to be a part of the village community in the future,

She said: “I’d like to move here as it would give me the opportunity of having lots of company.

“I used to be in a singing group and an operatic society and I love to do arts and crafts.

“The village would give me the chance to do these things with company.”

The retirement village is the result of a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council, The ExtraCare Charitable Trust and the Homes and Communities Agency.

It will provide 261 apartments for purchase, with care and dementia support available on site.

Residents will be able to access a range of social and leisure facilities including a village hall, bar, bistro, gym, IT suite, hair and beauty salon and a shop.

South Gloucestershire Council’s Adults, Housing and Public Health lead member Cllr Ben Stokes, said: “The ExtraCare village being developed on the border of South Gloucestershire and Bristol is a unique housing scheme providing purpose-built facilities for the over 55s, to help them stay living in their own homes for longer.

“Having the privacy of your own apartment whilst knowing that a care team is on site 24/7 not only provides peace of mind for people living at the development, but for their families too.

Applications to live at the village open next year.