A COLLECTION of lost Archers episodes has been uncovered in a radio station's basement.
The recordings of the rural radio soap opera, set in fictional Ambridge, were recorded in 1977.
They were found during a spring clean of the studio archive of BBC Radio Wiltshire in Swindon. They were donated to the station six years ago by avid fan, Dr Barbara Carter, who recorded 25 omnibus editions for her elderly mother. Until 1994 only selected episodes of the serial - which attracts four million listeners a night - were saved. The show has been running since 1951 and holds the world record for the longest running radio drama series.
"It's wonderful to get these tapes, which are part of Ambridge's history," said Archers editor, Vanessa Whitburn. The Archers was the idea of BBC radio producer Godfrey Baseley who lived in Worcestershire.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article