At seven feet tall, the statue is certainly not small fry!

A seven-foot-tall Mr Potato Head statue has returned to a town in Derby after a spud-tacular makeover.

The iconic Toy Story character had been gifted to the town of Belper by their US twin town of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, which is where Hasbro toys were invented.

Joshua Grimshaw, from Belper Town Council, said it was "great to have him back", but was sad he couldn't be finished before the release of the most recent Toy Story film.

He also hinted that Mr Potato Head might be getting a brand new wardrobe and some outfit changes over the next few months.

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Eyes peeled for Mr Potato's return

In 2015, Belper's Mr Potato Head was painted to match how he looks in the Toy Story films.

In June this year, his hand, arm and hat were found to be broken, and £1,200 was paid for him to be restored.

Families gathered at De Bradelei Mill Shopping Village to welcome back the much-loved potato.

"I've been really missing Mr Potato Head and I'm so glad that he's back," said nine-year-old Charlotte told BBC Radio Derby's Matt Weigold.

"He looks like he is almost real, like a big giant version of Mr Potato Head from Toy Story," she added.

Belper Town Council has temporarily removed the 7ft statue for essential repairs

"He's unique and a big part of Belper," said 10-year-old Heidi.

"It's nice to have him back and it's nice to see everyone enjoying him," said Anaiya, who is eight.

Why does Belper have a Mr Potato Head statue anyway?

This Belper historian Adrian Farmer said that when Mr Potato Head was first gifted to the town, "people immediately either loved him or they hated him"

In 2000, 48 Mr Potato Head statues were made in an attempt to boost tourism in Rhode Island.

One was sent as a gift to the English town of Belper in Derbyshire, and was dressed to resemble William Blackstone, one of the first English people to settle in Rhode Island in 1635.

His presence split opinion in the town, and he was moved around a bit over the years.

Did you know...

He's known now for his black hat and moustache, but there have been different versions of Mr Potato Head in lots of different styles and outfits over the years

Mr Potato Head actually existed long before Toy Story in which he features as a prominent side character.

He was invented in the early 1950s by a man called George Lerner, and was later produced by the Hassenfeld Brothers, which is where the Hasbro toy company name comes from.

He's looked a bit different over the years, but his appearance in the first Toy Story movie in 1995 is how he is best known.