SOMEONE somewhere, in a galaxy far far away, might be a bigger Star Wars fan than this – but it’s doubtful.

Many may recognise him as a Southampton postman who has delivered mail for 30 years, but Dave Oldbury is a self-confessed Star Wars geek.

The 46-year-old has collected more than 3,000 items of memorabilia – enough to fill his house, has toured the world in his quest to find all the iconic film’s former cast members for their autographs and has now begun inking his body with his favourite characters as a permanent tribute.

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The dad-of-two, who lives in Sholing, said: “When I look back over the years, I smile. I have made some of the nicest and best friends from every single avenue of the Star Wars world.

“I wouldn’t like to think how much everything is worth now, or what I have spent over the years, but life would be a very boring place without Star Wars.”

Dave’s obsession began when he was a schoolboy.

He explained: “I was one of the children who queued up to see Star Wars when it was released in 1977 and it had a tremendous effect on me.

“I was spellbound. I made my mother’s life a misery!”

Dave, who has watched the films hundreds of times, says the George Lucas sci-fi was how he found confidence.

“I was a real introvert as a child, I was one of those kids who really suffered. It was escapism.

"Star Wars was my way to deal with anything going on.”

He began collecting anything connected to Star Wars. Today though, 38 years later, the force is just as strong.

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His loft and garage are filled with Star Wars items including everything from letters and books to models and action figures which take pride of place in large glass cabinets in the lounge.

The most he has paid for an item is a couple of thousand pounds, but has never had any items valued.

“There is nothing I haven’t got. If I got everything out, we wouldn’t be able to move. It would fill the whole house easily. It would be ridiculous.

“I don’t dust anymore, it’s not worth doing because there is probably 400-500 figures in that one cabinet and my daughters mess about taking the weapons out and hiding them somewhere. Now I know if something has been touched if the dust has moved.

“The girls say ‘so, how much is this worth?’ ‘Are you going to write all this down Dad?’ A lot of it isn’t worth a lot because to me toys were toys and to be played with.”

However for Dave, who runs a fan site, something that is valuable is his collection of hundreds of autographs worth thousands of pounds.

He has spent years travelling the world tracking down everyone who ever has appeared in the first films before organising events with fans.

But though he has rubbed shoulders with his heroes including spending a day drinking tea at Christopher Lee’s house, Dave gets the most pleasure tracking down puppets and the extras, who are now in their 80s, and getting them to sign rare photographs.

He said: “You get to the stage where on posters if you don’t get a signature you obsess over it. It is very addictive.

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“It’s not often the rarest figures or autographs that mean the most. If you spend two years tracking down some guy who appeared in a film for two seconds and you find him in London in a flat with no concept of why people might want his autograph, it’s so nice. I love hearing all their stories and it has taken me everywhere.

“I’m quite an easygoing guy, if I find someone I let people know, but you get people who find people, don’t tell anyone, get them to sign something and the sad thing is when they pass away, they can sell the stuff for a lot of money because they are the only one with it. It can be cut throat! I know some people who will hire private detectives if they really want to find someone from the original films because they are all getting older now.”

Dave, who is today wearing an ObiWan Kenobi T-shirt, says he isn’t a fan who dresses up in costumes, and admits Star Wars will literally always be a part of him since he got an elaborate tattoo on his right arm.

“People say ‘Star Wars? Grow up!’ But I have grown up.

“Of course we are geeks, but nobody judges you, it’s such a lovely community.

It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone is bonded by their love of Star Wars.

“My partner isn’t really into it, but Star Wars is something that comes with me.

“I’m like a snail, where ever I’ve gone I have taken my Star Wars stuff.

“It will always be part of me. I try not to let work get to me, in the week I could be driving around industrial estates then thanks to Star Wars, at the weekend, I’m with Christopher Lee having a cup of tea, so life isn’t bad at all.”