A pond-clearance team from the New Forest had the shock of their lives when a Doctor Who dalek head popped up from the murky depths.

Team members were using rakes to bring up debris from the pond, near Beaulieu.

Marc Oakland, clad in waders, had already fished out an old table-football game, dozens of lager cans and even a muddy skateboard. But then he noticed something round and grey rising up from the muddy water.

“I’d just shifted a tree branch with my foot. I noticed something dark and round slowly coming up to the surface. I got the shock of my life when a dalek head bobbed up right in front of me!,” said Marc.

The sales executive, 42, added: “It must have been down there for some time. It was covered in mould and water weed, and had quite a bit of damage. But the eye-stalk was intact and the head and neck stayed in one piece as I carefully lifted it out.”