Star Wars artist honoured with plaque on east London house

A sight from a galaxy far far away was brought slightly close to home after Darth Vader and his stormtroopers invaded east London.

They were there not to turn it into part of their galactic empire but instead to honour a make-up artist.

A blue heritage plaque in honour of Stuart Freeborn who worked on the original films creating Yoda and Chewbacca was put on his former house.

He died in February 2013 aged 98.

The stormtroopers marched down Grove Green Road, Leytonstone to the house where Freeborn was born in 1914.

They were accompanied by the Dark Lord forcing traffic to stop as he was greeted by droves of fans, many in costumes of their own.

Elliot Ashton, who campaigned for Waltham Forest Council to commission the plaque, said: "I couldn't believe it when I found out Stuart Freeborn was from Leytonstone.

"I went to the council about getting a plaque because I wanted local people and local artists to remember his amazing work."

Street murals were painted by local artists from Wood Street Walls as a permanent tribute to his work.