Doctor Who fan Jason Onion has travelled back in time... to a land BEFORE the very first episode.

For the Herne Bay collector has copies of draft scripts from the very first episode, much of which were 'regenerated' before the show went out.

And he will be poring through them as the rest of us celebrate the 50th anniversary episode tomorrow.

Jason, of Mickleburgh Hill, was loaned the original documents in September last year, after contacting the widow of Anthony Coburn - the producer who worked on Doctor Who’s first episode.

He also lived in Herne Bay, and was crucial to the early success of the series.

Jason, 37, said: "I was researching Anthony Coburn and his links with Herne Bay and the Kent area.

"Knowing the Coburn family as I did, I approached Jane Coburn, the widow of Anthony Coburn, and asked for some of his work in order to do some research."

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"She loaned me a box of things including a lot of his Doctor Who work.

"I went home and went through it all and found the six original drafts from the very first episode of Doctor Who."

He added: "I now have copies of the originals, and the Coburn family’s happy for me to keep hold of them. The family has the originals."

The prop-maker feels owning such content is perfect timing.

He said: "I feel very privileged, very lucky.

"It’s a wonderful piece of luck, especially in the lead up to the 50th anniversary. It’s wonderful to
enjoy the early glimmers of Doctor Who as composed by Anthony Coburn."

Doctor Who celebrates 50 years on our screens tomorrow, with a 75-minute special episode starring the soon-to-leave Matt Smith and 10th Doctor David Tennant.

The self-proclaimed Doctor Who fanatic feels it is an opportunity for anyone who has ever watched an episode to celebrate.

He said: "In my mind it’s the best creative platform that’s ever been conceived. I just think it’s a wonderful piece of escapism as well, it’s good fun."

He added: "It’s utterly unique, a very enjoyable premise, very eccentric,
very British and a globally recognised idea.

"Everybody should be celebrating it. It’s wonderful."

Jason’s find comes two years after he campaigned for a full-size replica of the Tardis to be built on Herne Bay’s seafront.

The time machine, as seen in the science-fiction programme, was built by the fan in 2010.

He said: "I thought I’d make a full-size replica original 1963 Tardis and donate it to Children in Need and get them to auction it off and raise loads of money. I’ve been fundraising since then for them."

"I went home and went through it all and found the six original drafts from the very first episode of Doctor Who" - Jason Onion

He added: "Earlier this year I got hold of the BBC blueprints and designed and made it from reclaimed oak and reclaimed Indonesian hardwood from Herne Bay seafront.

"I spent about six weeks making it and spent a hell of a lot more money than I should have done but it doesn’t matter because it’s all for a good cause and it’s for my town."

While he had admitted it is a difficult choice, Jason revealed he does have a favourite Doctor Who of all time.

He said: "It would have to be Patrick Troughton. He played the Doctor between 1966 and 1969.

Video: Jason Onion speaks about the show's first draft scripts

"He was an excellent character actor, a fantastic man and I look up to him very much."

A tribute any Time Lord would be proud to have.