MORE than 1,000 Star Wars fanatics descended upon Turf Moor yesterday to meet cast members from the original sci-fi trilogy.

The Star Wars Fan Fun Day was celebrating its fifth anniversary with actors David Prowse and Kenny Baker, Darth Vader and R2D2, there to greet the adoring legions of fans.

Organiser Neil Livesey, bringing the convention to the Burnley FC stadium for the fourth time, said the overwhelming response from local people meant that the event had to keep on expanding.

“We started out holding the event in a small hotel room in Clayton-le-Moors and now we need the whole James Hargreaves Executive Suite.

“We’ve truly outgrown what we expected,” said Neil, 52, from Rishton.

“Obviously the big draws are David Prowse who played Darth Vader, and Kenny, who managed to make it down at the last minute from another event which is fantastic.

“The people at Burnley have been superb for us and we hope to be back next year. It’s great to see so many smiles on kids’ faces,” he said.

Rhys Foster, four, from Oswaldtwistle, attended the event with his grandmother Janice.

She said: “He’s watched all the movies and we came here last year and loved it.

“Darth Vader is his favourite character.”

The actors signed autographs and posed for pictures alongside stalls selling Star Wars memorabilia.