Harry Potter and Star Wars A-lister wows fans in Cornwall


Cornish fans of Harry Potter and Star Wars actor, Warwick Davis, queued for hours in the rain this morning to get his autograph. The star is currently in Truro at the reopening of the toy shop, Harry's Toy Chest.

One Truro resident, Ollie Alderson, started queueing outside the shop with his friend at 7am. He said there were already five people ahead of them at the time and by 10am, when the event started, he estimated there were around 200 people in the queue.

Like many others, the 15-year-old went to have his picture taken with Davis inside and get his autograph. Ollie told CornwallLive: "It's awesome that he came somewhere close to home. He's a staple in the film industry and I'm glad I got his signature."

READ MORE:Toys R Us store returning to Cornwall in major Christmas comeback

READ MORE:Labour candidates trounce Cornwall by-election

He added that despite the grey skies and rain, the atmosphere out the shop was buzzing as people waited for the actor to arrive. "Everyone was really excited to be there, apart from being in the rain which brought the mood down a bit," he said. "But everyone was really excited to meet him and get his autograph."

Harry's Toy Chest owner, Harry Stacey, shut his shop down for a few weeks to carry out a refit and make it even more welcoming for Lego fans, Star Wars toy collectors and Pokémon card lovers. He met Davis just before the shop's closure after the actor's family, who are regular customers at the toy shop, brought him in after finding out Harry was a huge fan.

Harry said Davis was the one who suggested that he returned to Truro when Harry's Toy Chest reopened to help make a big deal of it. The meet and greet is also raising money for the men's mental health charity, Man Down Cornwall.

Speaking of Davis' fundraising efforts at the toy shop, Ollie said: "It's great that he's fundraising for Man Down and I really hope they get to raise enough money."

The film star, who has had roles in the two blockbuster franchises, has been on holiday in Cornwall numerous times this summer. In June, the 54-year-old, who has been an actor since he was 11, was spotted in Perranporth where he enjoyed ice cream by the beach and having selfies with fans. At the time, he told Matt Burrell, who owns the ice-cream parlour, how much he really enjoys Cornwall.

Click here to join CornwallLive on WhatsApp. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.