Viral animated images of a new Star Wars character, nicknamed Baby Yoda, are back online after a brief ban.

Gifs featuring the co-star of the Mandalorian TV series had been widely shared online, with many viewers declaring the small alien as being "the best thing" about the new Disney+ show.

But the animations disappeared late last week after Giphy - the platform used to make them - blocked the posts.

It said it had done so because of "confusion" about their legal status.

Disney had faced criticism after news site The Vulture had reported that its own Baby Yoda posts had been removed for "copyright reasons", adding that "Disney decided that Gifs of this beautiful being should be removed from the internet!"

Many fans subsequently complained on social media about the US media giant's supposed intervention.

But Giphy has since clarified that Disney was not to blame.

BBC