The famous 'Blue Peter garden', which has been an integral part of the children's show for 35 years, is being axed, according to reports. The News Of The World says that the garden will be scrapped in 2011 when production of the show is moved from London to Manchester - and will be replaced with a virtual, computer animated lawn. The director in charge of the show's move up north, Keith Beal, told the paper, "We think it's time the garden moved into the future and became a virtual garden." Viewers of the show will be able to log in to the new garden online, where presenters Helen Skelton, Andy Akinwolere and Joel Defries will appear to teach children about nature. The original garden was first opened in 1974 after the show's then producer Biddy Baxter realised that many children were growing up in flats or houses without a garden, and since then has become a small screen institution. It contains a collection of memorabilia from the show, including George the Tortoise who was buried there after he passed away in 2004, and a bronze statue of the show's dog Petra, who died in 1977. It was also a favourite spot for iconic 70s presenter John Noakes and his dog Shep. However the garden has also had a troubled past, being vandalised in 1983. The culprits were never identified, although footballer Les Ferdinand admitted in 2000 that he was part of the gang behind the vandalism, a claim he later retracted.
