The force was with thousands of sci-fi fans converging on a massive fundraising convention which is battling for a cause not too far, far away.

Darth Vader, Jedis, galactic knights, stormtroopers, Ewoks and Daleks joined stars of the genre for the two-day DEF CON III event held over the weekend at Totton’s Empire Hall and Totton and Eling Community Hall.

Celebrities dropped their attendance fee to appear at the stellar event, which included some of the best-known faces of cult sci-fi shows, including former Doctor Who star Colin Baker and Red Dwarf’s Rimmer, aka Chris Barrie.

Fans also marvelled at displays of R2D2, Daleks, Batman and Star Wars as well as film cars and stalls bursting with collector items.

The event was dreamed up by dad-of-two Wayne Streak to benefit children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent and the Piam Brown ward at Southampton General Hospital. Both supported his son Logan as he battled blood cancer.