Star Wars mad fans queue through the night at Oldbury store to get hands on new toys
It was a case of déjà vu at Toys 'R' Us in Oldbury as Star Wars fans gathered in the early hours.
Yet again, they were to be among the first to purchase the latest merchandise from the hotly-anticipated film for 2016.
Rogue One: a Star Wars Story is released in cinemas mid-December. It recounts how rebels steal the blueprints to the Death Star – a kind of prequel to the 1977 classic movie.
On the stroke of midnight on Thursday, up and down the land, shops revealed toys and collector items galore.
A similar event 12 months earlier heralded the coming storm of the Force Awakens. At that gathering, around 150 fans lined up in Oldbury waiting for the shutters to roll. For Rogue One, the turnout was slightly down on that, but they've only had to wait a year for more adventures in a galaxy far, far away as compared to the 10-year hiatus that led up to the 2015 blockbuster.
As with the previous event, costumed characters joined in with the fun. Storm Troopers and X-Wing pilots entertained the gathering as the minutes ticked by.
Aspiring stand-up comedian Jonathan Hipkiss, from Halesowen, arrived at 8pm. The 25-year-old has been a fan of the saga all his life. He said: "Like last year, I've been saving for weeks for tonight."
Chris Cooke, 33, also from Halesowen, is looking forward to Rogue One, starring local girl Felicity Jones. He said: "I can't wait for December. I'll be living in the IMAX."
"It's going to be like this every year from now on," added Jonathan. "We'll be forever in a loop, meeting in Oldbury for Star Wars."
