Meet Doctor Who's sonic screwdriver mechanic

When the new Doctor Who built her own sonic screwdriver, Jodie Whittaker was seen in a garage in Sheffield.

But in reality the fictional tool was produced in a small workshop in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.

That is where Doctor Who prop-maker Nick Robatto runs his business - Rubbertoe Props.

"I don't dread coming to work to make science fiction weapons and artefacts. It's not a job, it's just good fun," he said.

Nick Robatto casting a part for the sonic screwdriver

As a child, Nick used to annoy his father by dismantling then reassembling his video recorder.

His father started buying him Airfix model kits "to keep myself occupied rather than taking anything apart".

At school he took design and technology classes before going to art college, then on to university to study model-making.

But he describes his work on Doctor Who as "kind of an accident... I've always been a maker".

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Nick got a job with a company making architectural models.

And when BBC Wales relaunched Doctor Who in 2005, the producers turned to the model-makers for props.

Nick worked for the BBC for six years, mainly on Doctor Who, before going independent, making props for Casualty, Torchwood, Merlin and Sherlock.

He has made all the sonic screwdrivers since the relaunch apart from David Tennant's - although he did "maintain" that one.

Nick said the sonic screwdrivers remain his favourite creations

"The sonic screwdrivers are probably the most complicated because they have electronics and moving parts. They have to be handmade. It's nice to have the challenge," says Nick.

As Rubbertoe is also licensed to produce commercial replicas, he has made about 700 of the devices.

But he still gets excited. "When Jodie built her sonic apparently in a garage in Sheffield, it wasn't - it was made here.

"It was a fun one to make. It looks good on screen. A different take on the sonic, a nice looking thing."

Whittaker is the 13th Doctor overall and the current series is the 11th since the show's 2005 reboot

It looked organic in the designs, so Nick suggested making it out of pewter. "That's got a bit of weight to it."

Parts were cast using silicone moulds, or hand-sculpted. It holds a six volt motor, LEDs and a battery. "It was quite hard to squeeze it all in," he said.

He admits he got a buzz while going around a toy shop with his children when he spotted Doctor Who toys including the Master's laser screwdriver which he had built.

"I said: 'Look kids, I made that!' They weren't impressed."

This is his dream job, although Nick says he would still love to work on Star Wars.

But that would mean moving to London and "I'm quite happy in Barry in my little workshop".