A Doctor Who-style mystery has developed over a ‘Tardis’ which was dug up and taken away.

The old-style police box has stood in Whiteleas, South Shields, since the 1950s, and has been out of service for three decades.

But last week, lunchtime drinkers at the nearby Red Duster pub on Whiteleas Way were stunned when a workman arrived and dug up the box – and drove off with it on the back of his lorry.

They claim he then told them he was only following orders from his boss hundreds of miles away in Glasgow, who’d spotted the box on Google Earth, and said he was heading back to Scotland with it.

They were so concerned that one local resident contacted the police.

Local councillor Ernest Gibson said he was furious that a piece of local heritage had been removed, and local residents also voiced their concerns.

But it’s now emerged that South Tyneside Council officers made no objection to the Civil Defence and Emergency Service Preservation Trust removing the structure, and it is understood to be heading to a museum in Kent.

Whiteleas Coun Ernest Gibson today reacted with fury after hearing it had gone.

He said: “I’m really furious, this police box is part of our local heritage and it’s been taken right from under our noses.

“None of the ward councillors were asked whether they wanted to see this removed, because if they’d asked me I would have stopped this.

“I’ve always wanted to get some council funding to spruce it up give it a new lick of paint, because it’s such a quirky little feature here in Whiteleas.

“Make no mistake, I’ll get to the bottom of this and find out who approved it, and I’ll be battling to get the box back.”

Landlady of the Red Duster, Nicola Pearce, 45, said: “It might have been rusty and needed a new lick of paint, but it was something a bit unusual to have on the estate, and a nice focal point.

"It’s a shame to see it go.”

Husband Ged, 38, said: “We couldn’t do anything to stop it being taken because it wasn’t on our land, it was just on the other side of the wall.”

Pub patron Michael Price, 30, said: “We all rushed outside when we realised someone was trying to take it, and we kept asking the guy a few questions about where it was going and whether he had permission, but he wasn’t saying much.”

Coun Alex Donaldson, who used to be in the police service, said he remembered using the same police box while carrying out his duties.

He said: “It was a little bit of policing history,” adding: “I always said that if they ever dug it up then I’d like it in my back garden. But it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen now!”

Police boxes were introduced on Tyneside in the early 1920s, and phased out in 1969-70 due to the introduction of two-way radios.

Tardis devotees can still have their picture taken alongside Dr Who's famous companion on Scarborough seafront where a genuine police box is still sited.