A SELF-confessed “massive” Doctor Who fan has raised thousands of pounds for charity after building a life-sized Dalek.

Gary Gibson, 28, spent five months building the 5ft 6in tall model from plywood, MDF, metal and fibreglass with his father and cousin.

Since then the NHS administrator has raised about £10,000 for charity, including Cancer Research and MacMillan Cancer Support, after his mother and aunt were diagnosed with breast cancer.

Today the fully-working electronic model, called Dalek Davina to mark an episode which featured a droid with the voice of TV presenter Davina McCall, will go on display at Oxford’s Phoenix Picturehouse, in Walton Street, in aid of the Sue Ryder cancer charity before the new Doctor Who series airs at 7.50pm on BBC One.

Mr Gibson, from Oxford, said: “I have been a fan since I was seven years old and have watched every episode.

“Then I realised there were these events which people took Daleks to, they were doing it for a good cause, had raised money for charity and this inspired me to build my own.”

At some events the money was raised by entrance fees, while at others Mr Gibson had a collection tin.

Mr Gibson started building the model in November 2013 and finished it in March this year. It was built in his cousin’s carpentry workshop to specifications Mr Gibson found online.

The finished model is pink to raise awareness for breast cancer charities and it cost just over £2,000 to build.

The Dalek is operated by Mr Gibson from the inside where there are controls for its arms, gun, dome and wheels powered by an electric wheelchair motor.

He said: “When we were building it people said we were crazy, but they didn’t expect it to turn out as good as it did.”

 

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