STAR Wars fans in Bradford have been treated to special early screenings of the eagerly anticipated final chapter in the saga.

Fans from Australia and New Zealand were at the National Science and Media Museum, one of the first venues in Yorkshire to show Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the minute it was released. Its newly independent cinema operation Pictureville was packed with fans for a midnight screening today, and ahead of that there was chance to see the other two movies in the trilogy, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

For fans who couldn’t make the midnight event, there was an early bird breakfast showing of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker at 7am yesterday, on the IMAX screen in 3D. The movie is showing daily at the museum throughout the festive period.

Kathryn Penny, Head of Screen Operation at the museum, said: “Star Wars fans have been waiting a long time for this next instalment and we’re excited to be screening it at the museum, especially at our exclusive midnight showing for anyone wanting to be the first to see it. There’s no better way to get closer to the action than by watching it at the immersive, 60ft IMAX. Tickets have been selling faster than the Millennium Falcon travelling at light speed!”

The new sci-fi adventure - the ninth and concluding instalment of the smash hit movie franchise - boasts an all-star cast including Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Richard E Grant. Takes up from the death of Luke Skywalker, his muse, Rey, sets out on a daredevil mission, accompanied by Finn, Chewbacca, X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron and C-3PO. Directed by JJ Abrams, the adventure features what critics are calling one of the most spectacular lightsaber duels of the series. The late Carrie Fisher, who died in 2016, appears in scenes using unreleased footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

Chris Thornton, 52, from Shipley watched the midnight screening of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. He said: “In 1977 I queued round the block at the Bradford Odeon with my dad to watch Star Wars. Now I’ve seen the finale with my son - and we loved it. It’s very different from The Last Jedi, it has a bit of everything but for me it brought back feelings I had when I first watched Star Wars. I found it quite a moving experience.”

His son Dan, 23, added: “Visually, it’s amazing and it feels very inclusive. It’s directed with a lot of affection for the original story, and for the fans. It was great to watch it as soon as it was released. I can’t wait to see it again.”

* Visit scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk