TIME is leaping forward for children playing in Worcester’s Cripplegate Park.

Every day this week youngsters aged six to nine are visiting the St John’s park, with parents in tow, to take part in Time Capsule 2018.

It is a free drama event, which is being run by the professional theatre company C&T and the Friends of Cripplegate Park.

The children spend the day imagining what the park will look like in 10 years time.

“They can reach for the moon,” said C&T producer Rob Lines.

Based at the University of Worcester, C&T specialise in using digital technology and, for this workshop, will film the children as they play and talk about the future.

“Every child who participates will get a DVD – a time capsule,” said Mr Lines.

“The idea is that, in 10 years’ time, they can get it down from the shelf and watch it.

“It will remind them what was important to them when they were seven years-old.”

The idea for the innovative workshop was born when the Friends secured lottery funding to improve the park’s play area.

Mr Lines said the park’s futuristic i-Play – an interactive climbing frame – was integral. “It made us wonder what the park could look like in the future,” he said.

“But rather than having a bunch of adults sit around and reel off grand pronoucments, we thought it would be much more interesting to ask children.

“But, then we didn’t want to have them sitting in a room either. That wouldn’t work so we came up with this idea.”

The lottery-funded workshop runs from 10.30am to 3pm this week and booking is essential.

For places call the Worcester Festival box office on 01905 611427.