THE Tardis will be materialising in Boscombe in November – coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who.

A 1960s-style police box has been mooted since 2008 as a permanent replacement for the police van commonly parked in the Precinct as a deterrent to crime in the area.

However, organisers hope the iconic but fully-functioning box, which has been granted planning permission, will also be a tourist attraction.

Earlier this month TV star Peter Capaldi was announced as the 12th Doctor in the BBC series, and local councillor Phil Stanley-Watts said he intended to invite the actor to the November launch.

The former mayor first suggested the idea for the Tardis five years ago.

“There used to be a lot of police boxes about,” he said.

“There’s going to be a police presence there. I think it does a number of things and it’s an attraction in itself.

“I’m trying to get Peter Capaldi to open it. I bumped into him when I was working as an extra on a play.

“I will contact the BBC so it will depend on what they say.

“This will put Boscombe on the map in a positive way.”

Boscombe Police have been parking a police van outside McDonalds on Thursdays and Saturdays – the market days.

Capaldi is the joint-oldest actor – at 55 – to play the part with first Doctor William Hartnell.

An Oscar-winning director, he is most famous for his role as foul-mouthed spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker in the BBC series The Thick of It.