Who’s Toys in Ratcliffe Gate, Mansfield, is pleading for help from sci-fi fans after thieves raided the premises and stole almost all of the small independent retailer’s stock.

Shop owner John Hadlow, who has run Who’s Toys for the past ten years, told RadioTimes.com that the burglars smashed the padlock and booted in the shop door before making off with Doctor Who models, Star Trek spaceships and other precious memorabilia, clearly undeterred by the store’s life-size Dalek, Scaramanga.

‘They must have made two or three trips because there were Tardises, there were Daleks, there were Star Trek ships, all sorts of things”, he explained. “It’s just destroyed me.”

Never ones to allow a fellow sci-fi lover to suffer alone, fans have already gathered online to begin raising funds to help John replace his stock.

A JustGiving crowd funding campaign to assist in covering the cost of the stolen goods has already surpassed its £500 target, and in continuing to gain support.

“A massive, massive thank you from the bottom of my heart” is what Hadlow tells RadioTimes.com he’d say to all those who’ve supported the shop thus far. “This last week, I’ve seen both sides of the human race, I’ve seen people who are so generous.”

“If there are any Doctor Who fans out there who think they can help us it would be absolutely amazing. Seriously amazing. It would kind of restore my faith in the human race.”