'Blue Peter' garden 'to be axed by BBC'

The BBC has reportedly announced that it is scrapping the Blue Peter garden after 35 years.

The famous plot is expected to be axed in favour of an online replacement after the long-running children's show makes its move from London to Manchester in 2011.

Keith Beal, who is overseeing the move up north, told the News Of The World: "We think it's time the garden moved into the future and became a virtual garden."

The existing Blue Peter garden was first unveiled by hosts Peter Purves, John Noakes and Lesley Judd in 1974. It has since been used regularly for features on the programme.

It is believed that the new internet garden will feature video-based nature lessons from the existing presenters.

Biddy Baxter, who was Blue Peter's editor from 1965 to 1988, last year accused the BBC of attempting to sabotage the show by removing popular segments.

Speaking at the time, she complained: "What I gather is [the programme-makers] don't want to bother with the garden or makes or cooking. They don't want to do animals. It is wrong to discard areas of enormous interest to pre-pubescent children.

"It almost seems they are letting it go pear-shaped on purpose, so they can say it doesn't work. It seems they want it to go out with a whimper, not a bang."