A DISABLED former Star Wars actor is housebound after a 10-year-old boy stole and crashed his specially modified car.

Jim Gibbins, who once appeared as an Ewok in Return of the Jedi, is now furious that his insurance company, CIS, will not pay out.

The 47-year-old, from Little Hulton, drives a modified Ford C-MAX with raised pedals and a child booster seat so he can reach the controls and see over the bonnet.

But the modifications also allowed a 10-year-old boy — who would normally be too small to drive — to steal his car and crash it.

Now Mr Gibbins says his insurance company, CIS, is refusing to pay out because he did not tell them he had three points on his licence for speeding.

The car is still in a garage in Bolton awaiting repairs he cannot afford.

Without his car, Mr Gibbins is housebound — he suffers from a genetic condition called pseudoachondroplasia which restricts his growth and has a curved spine.

Mr Gibbins said: “I’m quite seriously disabled and I need my car to get out of the house.”

He says he is missing out on acting work and has had to turn down film and TV roles because he cannot go for auditions.

Mr Gibbins’ biggest break was as an extra in the third Star Wars film as an Ewok — small bear-like creatures who help to topple the evil Empire.

The incident happened on February 6 when the boy stole the keys to Mr Gibbins’ car and took it from outside his house.

He crashed into a parked car, causing £2,800 worth of damage to the Ford and leaving the other car, a VW Golf, a write-off. He then tried to park the car and reversed it into a lamppost before running away.

Mr Gibbins said: “I was in bed when another kid knocked on my door and said his friend had stolen my car.

“Then I just heard this big bang.

“Obviously I was concerned that he hadn’t hurt himself or anyone else.

“It’s a got a two-litre engine and it’s quite powerful— way too powerful for a 10-year-old.”

Police said they investigated the incident and the youngster, who had only just reached the age of criminal responsibility, was given a reprimand.

A spokesman for CIS said: “Due to a number of nondisclosures by the customer to us about his driving record, we took the decision to refuse the claim.

“The Co-operative Insurance strives to treat all of its customers equally and fairly and as such it was not appropriate, in this instance, for the claim to be settled.”

Mr Gibbins said: “I’ve had a lot on my mind and sometimes you just forget these things.”