Like all kids, Richard S’s son Sam was filled with glee when the snow started to fall last weekend. On Sunday morning he was straight round to his best mate’s house to make the most of it. Dad was very impressed when he heard that the boys had decided not to build a regular snowman but, being ardent Doctor Who fans, they had made a snow dalek instead. Erected in the front garden, it had apparently received all kinds of compliments from neighbours and passers-by during construction. When the thaw began to take hold on Monday, however, and after props like the mechanical eyestalk and telescopic gun had fallen off, those compliments soon turned to complaints. It was only when the mother of Sam’s best mate texted this photo to Richard that he began to understand why.