Something from a galaxy far far away has appeared in Bristol, it would seem.
The force is very much in the west country city as a Darth Vader statue mysteriously appeared overnight days after the star who played the iconic character died.
The 1ft figurine of the Star Wars villain has been installed at the empty Edward Colton plinth.
Protesters toppled Colston’s statue earlier this year in opposition to his historic slave trade links, and eventually dumped it in the harbour.
The homage has appeared just days after actor Dave Prowse, who played Lord Vader in the films and was born in Bristol, died following a short illness.
A petition was also set up asking for a statue the actor – who started his career as a bodybuilder before moving to London for a career as an actor – to be placed on the Colston plinth and has attracted more than 450 signatures so far.
Keen fans appear to have jumped the gun and taken it upon themselves to pay respects with the figure.
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Dave Prowse dead: Darth Vader actor dies at 85 after short illness
Striking the signature Vader pose with his left arm up and hand out, as if using the force, it isn’t clear who is responsible for the stunt.
Vader follows a strange mannequin of Jimmy Saville and a homage to a Black Lives Matter protester as being installed at the empty plinth.
Colston's statue has since been retrieved from the bottom of Bristol Harbour and is being restored ahead of proposed plans to put it in a museum.
The petition for a permanent Vader tribute reads: “In today’s society when there is so much debate on statues being erected, replaced or removed, this stands as a great chance for Bristolians to unite to get a statue erected of this great great Bristolian David Prowse.
“This man’s portrayal as Darth Vader has touched millions of peoples' lives around the world and still does to this days!
"It will be a dishonour for this man to be forgot over time for what he achieved for Bristol.”
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