DOCTOR Who has seen off Daleks and Cybermen, but his latest adversary proved more stubborn.
It has taken the TV time lord six years to win a legal battle with the Metropolitan Police for the commercial rights to his Tardis.
Disguised as a blue street corner police box of the type used by the Met until the 1960s, the Tardis transported the Doctor, in his various guises, across time for 26 years.
The Patent Office yesterday ruled that the image is now associated with the TV series more than the police and handed all rights to the BBC. This means the corporation can cash in on use of images of the box.
A spokesman for the Met said: "We're disappointed but philosophical about the decision." The force has retained the rights to the traditional blue police station lamp and other Met images.
In the US, cities demand high fees for the use of images of their property. Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani had even planned to register the city's skyline —but the idea was scrapped after the September 11 attacks.
Caption: MONEY BOX-Doctor Who, alias Tom Baker, outside the Tardis, all rights of which now belong to the BBC
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