When Headteacher Barbara Reseigh brought in a small model of a Dalek, and tempted the class with the challenge of building a larger one, nothing more was said. It seemed a challenge too great for most.

But the challenge wasn’t too much for everyone in that class. After four months of hard work, and with some help from his dad and granddad, Mark managed to produce a gargantuan six-foot replica of a Dalek, much to the amazement of classmates and staff alike.

The model is made out of wood, a dustbin and papier mâché, and is painted black and gold. Mark claims the hardest bit was the dome on the very top. Whether this is due to its height above Mark remains to be said.

Mark, who lives in Oundle, said: “They are amazed by it. I have brought it into two assemblies and everyone loves it.”
Mark is a massive fan of David Tennant, the star of the latest TV adaptation, and building this model must have been an excellent expression of his passion. “I am a big fan of Dr Who, and I am really pleased with the Dalek.”

Mark says that he particularly enjoyed seeing the reactions of his classmates when confronted with the imposing model, which towers high above all his friends, and which represents a formidable and terrifying machine in the TV series.

The Dalek is so big that it’s even possible to get inside it and move it around, to further terrorise unsuspecting victims.

Last year, a Doctor Who exhibition took place at Peterborough Museum, where visitor numbers broke records. With such popularity present for all things Doctor Who in this area, it is hardly surprising that this model is the talk of the school. The librarian Alex Heaton commented, “He is a very talented boy, and everyone wants to have a look at it.”