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Who would have thought that a fictitious character from a Cardiff-based sci-fi show could have meant so much to people.

But a shrine in honour of Torchwood's Ianto Jones is still going strong today, six years after his on-screen death.

I remember seeing the shrine for myself not long after the episode in which Gareth David-Llloyd's character dies in Captain Jack Harkness' arms in a shock episode of the popular Doctor Who spin-off series.

I was actually taken aback by the out pouring of public emotion which the programme and its creator Russell T. Davies had tapped into.

Ever since Russell's Who reboot the Swansea-born writer's touch had garnered a Midas-like quality.

LOOK: The trailer for the upcoming new series of Doctor Who

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Everything he lent his name to turned to gold, and by the time the third series of Torchwood returned to our screens in July 2009 - taking up residency in BBC One's prime-time viewing slot - it just seemed so much bigger.

The show even took on a dangerous, 'anything can happen' edge, with our ET-battling heroes taking on the might of sinister beings, the 456.

And it was clear when Ianto took his final breath that no one on the show was safe.

Unbeknownst to the city of Cardiff, however. its landscape would be forever changed.

The next day fans paid their respect to Torchwood Three's teaboy, and even now people come from all over the world to add trinkets, pictures to what has become a recognised shrine at the Institute's former base in Cardiff Bay.

Related: Torchwood is coming back says star John Barrowman

Not long after the five-part series ended, there were a number of fan campaigns trying to save the character, Russell T Davies stood his ground and Ianto remained dead up until and during Torchwood's final (so far) installment, 2011's Miracle Day.

So, thank you Ianto Jones, for uniting people in their grief, and bringing them to Cardiff.