YOUNG Doctor Who fans spent a day with a local author celebrating 50 years of the hit sci-fi show.

Members of the Newnham Community Library hosted a children's activities day at the Armoury Hall last Friday. Coleford children's author and illustrator, Shoo Rayner, dropped in and ran a drawing and painting workshop on the Doctor Who theme.

Other activities included face painting, model and mask-making, story and poem writing. The work created by the children will be put on display along with a mass of Doctor Who memorabilia donated by people in the village on Doctor Who's official birthday (November 23).

A second event will be held to mark the official birthday and the local Women's Institute plan to bake a massive birthday cake in the shape of a Dalek.

Paul Manning said: "There are rumours that a spaceship full of aliens will land on the village green. We have also heard that the life-size Dalek currently held in Littledean Jail is planning a breakout and will be terrorising local residents. Obviously I can't vouch for the accuracy of either of these rumours."