Dick Cheney, the US vice-president, once described himself as the Darth Vader of the Bush administration.

But if this photo is anything to go by, he has a rival for the position of dark lord of the Galactic Empire within his own household in the form of Labrador retrievers Jackson and Dave, who decked themselves out in canine fancy dress to celebrate Hallowe'en in Washington.

Whilst Dave opted for a figure-hugging Superman garb, Jackson chose the full Darth Vader cloak and mask, made famous in the Star Wars series of films.

Cheney's famous Darth Vader quote came in a CNN interview in 2006.

Defending the need to capture and kill people who want to kill Americans, he said: "That's not a pleasant business. It's a very serious business. And I suppose, sometimes, people look at my demeanor and say, well, he's the Darth Vader of the administration."

A hawkish neo-con, Cheney, 66, is widely considered the power behind the throne in the White House, having served under both George W Bush and his father. (ANI)