They may come from a galaxy far, far away, but for a short time only they'll be at the Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth.

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'May the Toys be With You' - an exhibition featuring mint-condition Star Wars memorabilia - will be running from March 28 to September 13, and will showcase one of the finest Star Wars figurine collections in the UK.

Owned by Star Wars devotee Matt Fox who bought his first toy aged five, the exhibition will include 300 toys, original cinema posters and classic Star Wars artwork.

X-Wing Fighters, lightsabers and mini-Jedis will be on display, drawing together over 40 years of iconic Star Wars merchandising which eventually ended up earning more than the films themselves.

Unsurprisingly, the franchise holds a Guinness World Records title for the 'Most successful film merchandising franchise', and is currently the fifth-highest-grossing media franchise of all time.

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Entire generations grew up with Star Wars action figures in hand, and between 1977 and 1985, an estimated 300 million were sold worldwide.

Norfolk County Councillor Margaret Dewsbury said: 'We are delighted to host this fantastic exhibition which is a must-see for fans of Star Wars, classic toys and cinema history.

'We look forward to welcoming visitors of all ages to this truly intergenerational show. Those who grew up in the late 1970s and early 80s will remember how popular and exciting these toys were and can enjoy this lovely opportunity to share their childhood memories with a new generation.

'Norfolk Museums Service has built an impressive reputation for bringing top class exhibitions to the region and this show is no exception.'

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Time and Tide Exhibitions Officer, Philip Miles, said: 'Star Wars films are still as popular as ever and with the latest one just released, it feels appropriate to bring these classics of movie design to Time and Tide, as they're part of our social history.

'We've not just got the toys on display, but a whole range of cinema posters and movie memorabilia too - we've even squeezed in some life-size stormtroopers!'

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%image(14634153, type="article-full", alt="Actors, from left, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia and Harrison Ford as Han Solo from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope Picture: AP Photo/Lucasfilm, Ltd. & TM")