Builders working on the redevelopment of the Withington hospital site have come across a time capsule buried 118 years before - with the local newspaper preserved inside.

The builders were demolishing part of the main corridor when they came across the commemorative stone to mark the burial.

And behind the stone - weighing around quarter of a tonne - they found The Manchester Guardian dated July 9 1885.

The newspaper contained stories including an election address by Randolph Churchill MP and a council enquiry into building the Manchester Ship Canal.

A copy of the Manchester Courier, which is now defunct, was also recovered, along with six coins, including a florin, a sixpence, two pennies and two half pennies.

The 31-acre site will be developed to include 385 new houses and apartments, offices and a 150-bed hotel after the South Manchester Primary Care Trust sold it for around £20m.

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