IN the square of an east Durham new town, time will stand still for at least another century.

At a ceremony yesterday, a time capsule, painting a picture of life in Peterlee in the new millennium, was buried under paving stones in the town centre.

During the past months, schools, youth clubs, community organisations and councils have teamed up to produce items which will give a flavour of day-to-day life in 2001.

The Mayor of Peterlee, Councillor Jimmy Alvey, laid down the time capsule while local schoolchildren watched.

Items included drawings, poems, toys, CDs, newspaper cuttings and general memorabilia.

The spot where the container is buried will be marked with a plaque.

It is planned to leave the capsule in place until 2101, when citizens of the future will be able to discover just what life was like 100 years ago.