Warwick Davis to attend Star Wars celebration at National Space Centre

Warwick Davis is one of several star guests due to appear at the event

Actor Warwick Davis is due to attend a charity weekend to celebrate all things Star Wars - the series that helped make his name.

The actor, who portrayed Wicket the Ewok in the franchise, is due to appear in the celebration at Leicester's National Space Centre.

Return of the Garrison is returning for the first time in three years, due to coronavirus.

The event will run on 17 and 18 September.

Mr Davis, who is also famous for the Harry Potter films and the Ricky Gervais TV show Life's Too Short, is due to meet visitors on the Saturday.

Other guests due to appear during the weekend include Jake Lunt Davies, who was a creature concept designer on many Star Wars films, JAKe Detonator, a graphic artist who created merchandise for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, and Bob Brechin, chief designer at Palitoy, which won the 1977 licence to create toys for the Star Wars franchise.

Return of the Garrison has been run at the centre since 2005 and this year's festival will focus on planets from the movies.

Planet tours will take place in the centre's planetarium and visitors can take part in special guest Q&A sessions.

The ticketed event will also include instructions on wielding a lightsaber and the chance to see replica sets.

The centre will also be filled with legions of Stormtroopers, Droids, Rebels and Jedi.

Malika Andress, spokesperson for the National Space Centre, said: "I saw the first Star Wars film when I was five years old, and it captured my imagination.

"I see children coming along to Return of the Garrison and I see that wonderment in the next generation, introduced to them by equally excited and enthusiastic parents and grandparents."