Shoppers came face to face with a heavy breathing Darth Vader and a small legion of stormtroopers on a sunny day in Maidstone.

And those innocently waiting for a bus had to share the shelter with Gartogg, a Gamorrean guard – on a day off from protecting Jabba the Hutt’s palace.

The Star Wars characters’ appearance – along with the sun – took those in the High Street by surprise on Sunday.

Legends of Sci-fi were in town for the seventh Demoncon convention, and encouraged people inside by causing a stir outside. Several passers-by filmed the spectacle on their mobiles.

The event has grown each time it has been held. Starting out in the Exchange, it moved to the larger Royal Star Arcade in 2013. Around 400 visitors attended this year.

The convention featured 50 artists who got busy sketching visitors and some of the comic world’s stars who were there, including Transformers legends Simon Furman and Geoff Senior, who were responsible for the original 70s creations, and their modern day counterpart Nick Roche.

Around 60 people also made the effort to dress up in costume for the occasion, something that delighted organiser Graham Beadle.

Mr Beadle, owner of the Grinning Demon comic store, in Middle Row, said: “It has been really positive; I’m really happy with how it has gone.

“Every time it is better than we expect and each one is bigger than the last because they go away and tell other people and then they come too the next time.”

There was also an after party into the evening with music from One Day Elliott and Go-Zilla.