DOCTOR Who's Tardis has landed in Epping thanks to the ingenuity of a creative uncle.

Loughton carpenter Richard Brown spent his spare time over three months designing and building the three-quarter-size imitation 1960s police box as a Christmas present for his Epping sister's three children, Michael, four, Sophie, three, and Oliver, one.

Mr Brown said: "It started off as just a fun thing because I knew how much they were into the show, particularly Michael and Sophie. The little girl just loves Rose Tyler she asked for a sonic screwdriver for Christmas. And it sort of accelerated out of control.

"In the end it's probably the most expensive gift I've ever given. It's perfect in every detail except the time-travelling!"

Mr Brown assembled the Tardis in his sister Anita and her husband Gary's back garden on Christmas Eve so it was there waiting for the children when they woke in the morning.

He said: "It couldn't have turned out better. They loved it. They went round to their granny's for dinner and as soon as they'd finished they said Right, we've got to go now,' so they could get back and play with it. It was big enough for all three of them to get inside."

He added: "I'm just waiting for their next order - maybe it'll be a bi-plane."

Mr Brown is also considering taking orders to build more Tardises after an overwhelmingly positive response from neighbours and strangers who spotted the toy in the garden outside his Englands Lane home in Loughton before Christmas.

He said: "I put it up in the front garden to make sure it fitted together.

"People in the street kept stopping their cars to come over and have a look. I put a photograph on eBay to see if anyone would be interested. But it took me since about September 9 to build it, so I need to look at the practical costs, whether it's affordable."