The Star Wars films have got everything you need: action, romance, humour, spaceships. It’s brilliant that they’re bringing the old actors such as Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher back. They released six films in 38 years, and they’ve got another six films in six years coming up – it’s so exciting. I was probably about seven when I started collecting. Through the 1990s it was just stuff in the attic. It wasn’t until about 1995 that they started bringing out new Star Wars toys and there was talk of a new film. That’s when I properly got into it again.

I mostly collect 3¾in figures. I have about 1,400, as well as around 350 spaceship play sets. The collection probably totals £40,000 in value. It takes up most of the second floor of my house. I’ve started putting it down the staircase, although that causes issues with the wife. But she’s bought me a number of pieces over the years. She’s very supportive. We got married in August this year and even had a stormtrooper and scout trooper at the wedding to greet people.

My most prized items are the limited-edition pieces. I’ve got a large-scale Naboo fighter that hangs from the ceiling, which is a Toys R Us display piece. The original stuff I had as a kid, that’s quite important to me for past times’ sake.

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I get most of my stuff from sites like eBay, but I also go to shows around the country, like Memorabilia in Birmingham. The days of going to a car-boot sale and finding Star Wars stuff are long gone.

If you want to start collecting, online auction sites are your best bet. I always buy the biggest things I can find, although it means spending more money up front. They’re the things that people don’t generally buy, so they’re going to be worth more money in the future.

I was bidding on a Princess Leia figure at the weekend and it went for over £180. The value of vintage Star Wars toys has probably gone up 30 per cent in the last year. It’s just gone bonkers. I do sell sometimes, but that’s not the reason I do it. I just like being involved and finding stuff I never knew existed.

Interview by Adam Starkey

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