City 'Tardis' offers visitor help

Council leader Paul Scriven, left, and "ambassador" Steve Neal visit the box

A Tardis-style police box in Sheffield has been brought back to life.

The box, in Surrey Street, has been given a facelift and is now open as a city centre information point.

It was originally a refuge for police officers out on patrol - a place where they could catch up on paperwork and rest without going back to the station.

It is now being used to help visitors with information and advice from city centre "ambassadors", appointed by Sheffield Council.

Council leader Paul Scriven said: "The police box was at risk of being taken away to a museum, which would have been a real shame.

"We saw it as an opportunity to create a city centre focal point for information, guidance and a friendly face."

The box will be open from 1000 BST to 1200 BST and from 1400 BST to 1600 BST, Monday to Saturday.

The police boxes became famous as the Doctor's time machine in the long-running BBC TV series.