Everyone knows science fiction fans can be passionate.

But Vue cinema ended up looking more like daft vada after staff opened the box office at midnight last Wednesday to sell advance tickets for the new Star Wars movie, Episode III Revenge of the Sith, and found themselves facing a phantom queue.

Despite the cinema saying it expected demand for tickets of Death Star proportions, in reality it seems the stunt proved as popular as the Emperor Palpatine.

Only one person hauled himself to the cinema at Grants in High Street, Croydon, to make sure he didn't miss out on making it to the cinema's first screening of the final instalment of the trilogy.

Mike Kidd, from South Croydon, heard the cinema would be selling tickets at midnight and wanted to make sure he had seats booked for him and a pal at the first showing of the film in May.

The 20-year-old said: "I could have waited until tomorrow but if I missed out because lots of people turned up I would have kicked myself.

He added: "I went to the first showing of The Phantom Menace with lots of other fans and there was a great atmosphere. I just don't think I could wait."

But Mike's fanatacism comes at a price.

"It's been quite expensive. Not just because of the films but because I'm into the comics and the books."

And despite being a self-confessed Star Wars fanatic Mike says he still had his doubts about the most recent films.

"They're not as good as the originals," he said. "They rely too much on special effects in my humble opinion."

Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith is due out in the UK on Thursday, May 19.