The country’s favourite time lord has been around for more than half a century, but there’s never been an adventure set in Norfolk – until now.

In one of Big Finish Productions’ latest series of audio dramas, David Tennant and Billie Piper reprise their TV roles as the 10th doctor and Rose Tyler to defend Norwich in an alien invasion story called Infamy of the Zaross.

Writer John Dorney used to live in Beachamwell, near Swaffham, and he chose the county to feature in the hour-long drama as it was an unlikely target for alien invasion.

He said: “I’d been to Norwich quite a bit, it’s a beautiful, beautiful city. I made sure the doctor was very complimentary about the city in the script. I think David Tennant had also been to Norwich. I just thought it felt a little bit more quirky and individual for the story idea.”

He said that some of Norwich’s most famous landmarks were name-checked in the story, with much of the action taking place at Whitlingham country park, just outside the city.

Mr Dorney added: “In my head it was set in Norwich’s covered market, with the hostages taken by aliens to Whitlingham country park. “It’s the first Doctor Who drama set in Norwich and in Norfolk, to my knowledge. I once wrote an audio drama about Boudicca, who was from East Anglia, starring another former Doctor Who, Tom Baker, which was recorded in about 2013, but that was set in Colchester.

Mr Dorney now lives in Waltham Abbey in Essex, but comes back to East Anglia whenever he can find time.

Norwich City FC’s joint majority shareholder Delia Smith’s infamous “let’s be having you” comment is also woven into the story.

But Mr Dorney said there had been no effort to get the right Norfolk accents. “Most of the characters come from London, anyway,” he said.

The two former Doctor Who stars happen to be in Norwich as Rose’s mother Jackie Tyler is visiting one of her old schoolfriends in the city.

David Tennant was the doctor on screen from 2005 until 2009, while Billie Piper was Rose in 2005 and 2006, returning for a number of stories in 2008.

Infamy of the Zaross is included in Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures – Volume 2, which is available to pre-order. Visit https://www.bigfinish.com/