The German Navy has made its presence known in London by blaring out the Darth Vader theme as it advanced up the River Thames.

Londoners looked on as a German warship was towed slowly past Butler’s Wharf on the south bank, near Tower Bridge.

In what would appear to be a display of German humour, the Braunschweig F260 warship played the Imperial March track from the Star Wars saga as it floated by.

In video footage of the arrival, sailors can be seen on deck dressed in light blue shirts, dark trousers and navy blue life jackets.

A spokesman from the German Navy told The Telegraph: “The commander can choose the music freely. The choice of music has no deeper message.”

The Braunschweig F260 is the lead ship of the German Navy’s latest Class K130 corvette fleet.

Tower Bridge opened to allow the warship through to be alongside the HMS Belfast on Friday.

The Braunschweig F260, which was commissioned in 2008, has since left London and was moored in Plymouth on Wednesday morning.