An Allendale museum owner is celebrating Doctor Who 58th anniversary with a look back on own success of SCI-FI dream.

'Museum of Classic Sci-Fi' owner, Neil Cole, of Allendale, 51, recalls how, now, the longest and continually ran science fiction programme, Doctor Who inspired him from an early age.

He said: "I was seduced by the show from the very beginning of my 1970's childhood,  with my earliest memories involving the Saturday tea-time ritual of Grandstand - Basil Brush and finally....'Doctor Who'.

The parade of monsters fascinated me and my visit to Blackpool's 'Doctor Who Exhibition' in 1970 sowed the seed that would finally reach fruition some 45 years later as 'The Museum of Classic Sci-Fi' in Allendale."

He also adds: "Fifty-eight years ago, as the world reeled from the shock of of President Kennedy's assassination November 23rd, 1963,  two school teachers were forcing their way into a Police Box (then still a common sight on the streets of the UK).

"So began the longest, continually running science-fiction programme in the world. Just four weeks after the first Doctor (William Hartnell) and the original TARDIS crew fled from the stone age, the british public would get their first glimpse of the other cultural perennial - 'The Dalek' - a post-World War II tank  that embodied the fears of a generation recovering from recent global conflict.  

"It is embedded in our culture. I should know - everyday people passing through Allendale regularly stop to take photos of both the Dalek (Allendalek Mk II - to be precise!)and TARDIS that stand outside Northumberland's very own 'Museum of Classic Sci-Fi'.  

"These two objects are now utterly recognisable and known to both die-hard fans and the general public alike."

Thinking about how far his own museum has become becuase of the show, he added: "I am extremely grateful that our small, but painstakingly crafted museum equally continues to attract fans from all over the country to not only visit it, but also our beautiful area.  

"One of the key objectives of the museum was to tell the story of the original classic series through surviving, unique artefacts - a visual celebration and chronology of this most incredible television series."  

He continues: "The museum continues to develop as does the television programme itself but it is perhaps fitting that as we mark another anniversary of the Time Lord's continued success, that the Dalek that now stands sentinel outside the museum is a precise replica of the original Dalek that appeared fifty-eight years ago and met the very first TARDIS crew."