Paddington Bear fans pay heart-warming tribute to Michael Bond with jars of marmalade

Fans of Paddington Bear stepped out to pay a unique tribute to the late children's author Michael Bond, following his death on 27 June, at the age of 91.

People visited the bronze statue of the beloved fictional character at Platform 1 of the train station that lent its name to the bear. While many placed soft toys and bouquets of flowers at the spot, others dropped off jars of marmalade -- Paddington Bear's favourite food.

Bond's death has also brought into focus the similarities between Paddington's stories and the refugee situation in the UK. According to the books, the character was originally from Peru before he moved to London, as an illegal immigrant.

"Everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in" Paddington Bear," one fan posted a quote from the book on Twitter.

Bond himself revealed that the bear was inspired by his memories of watching evacuee children pass through Reading station from London during The Blitz. "They all had a label round their neck with their name and address on and a little case or package containing all their treasured possessions," he told the Guardian in 2014. "So Paddington, in a sense, was a refugee, and I do think that there's no sadder sight than refugees."

In 2016, demonstrators wore Paddington Bear masks during a protest outside the Home Office in London, to highlight the plight of child refugees and urged the government to allow more of them to enter the country.