The police box – or "Tardis" as it is affectionately known because of its likeness to Doctor Who's time travel box – stands near the harbour in Sandside.

It had been neglected over the years and had fallen into a state of disrepair.

But now, with the help of cash from North Yorkshire Police, pieces of rotten wood have been replaced and the building has been renovated to look exactly as it did when it was first built, which is believed to be at some point between the end of the First World War and the start of the Second World War.

The police are obliged to maintain the box, as it is a grade II-listed building, and said they were happy to carry out the work.

A spokesman said: "The decision was taken to restore the police box, as it has become something of a local landmark.

"It is also popular with tourists and is a part of the heritage of North Yorkshire Police."

Cllr Janet Jefferson raised concerns about the condition of the building after noticing its dilapidated state some months ago, and campaigned for the box to be renovated.

She said: "It's great to have to police box back open. I think it looks absolutely fantastic and it's wonderful for the community as a whole.

"It's another link between the police service and people in the area."

The boxes used to be a vital to police work. In the days before radio communication, bobbies on the beat used a phone in the boxes to contact the station. They could also be used by members of the public to report crimes and the police occasionally even used Scarborough's police box as a temporary jail.

However, despite overcrowding in our prisons, police have said the box won't be used for similar purposes in the future.

"It will not be used operationally but as it is a listed building it has to be retained," the spokesman added.