AN INSPIRATIONAL Dorset teacher brought a space topic to life for youngsters when he built them a Doctor Who-style TARDIS in their ICT suite.

David Payne enlisted the help of friends and colleagues and spent two weeks transforming the room into the Doctor’s famous time travelling machine.

Pupils at Dunbury Academy in Winterbourne Whitechurch were “dumbstruck” when they entered the room, which is complete with Daleks and Cybermen, a console to set a destination and even a sonic screwdriver to activate a DVD player.

Mr Payne, a Year 5 and Year 6 teacher, and his band of helpers built a wooden structure which was then covered with 250 painted egg cartons.

Since it was unveiled, children have been using the room to travel through space, visit planets and learn all about them.

As well as science lessons, the TARDIS has also helped with creative writing as the children have been writing all about what they have seen on the planets they have visited in their studies.

Mr Payne was delighted with the reaction of the pupils and said: “They were in awe. They were struck dumb but they really got into it. The work that came out of it was really inspired.

“The parents have been really supportive and it’s created a really good, community feeling in the school.”

The TARDIS - Time And Relative Dimension In Space - is a small part of the school’s space topic with students engaged in a number of ways.

Recently a space dome was brought to the school, allowing the children to look at constellations in the night sky.

A sleepover is also being held at the school so that the children can get up at 5am and use telescopes to look at the five planets that are currently visible in the morning sky.

Pupils recently got to watch a live stream with British astronaut Tim Peake who is currently on board the International Space Station.

His mission has inspired children up and down the country as they have followed his exciting journey.

Dunbury Academy parent, Suzannah Coop, praised the work the school was doing as a whole for the children.

She said: “The staff have just brought this extra life in to the school. They’re just doing so much stuff and the kids are so happy.”