AN OVERTON-based company helped to make an out of this world donation to a charity.

Banknote creators De La Rue joined forces with Disney and the GREAT Britain campaign to create a commemorative note to celebrate the release of the new Star Wars film, The Last Jedi.

Avid fans and collectors managed to bag all of the notes available in warp speed time when they went on sale on eBay, snaffling them all in fifteen minutes.

The auction lots, which closed at 8pm on Monday 18 December, attracted over 2,500 bids with winners from Australia, China, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, the USA and the UK.

A total of £186,754 was raised for the charity Together for Short Lives which is one of the largest single donations it has ever received.

The charity supports children’s hospices and all children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions and their families.

Polly Shute, executive director of fundraising at Together for Short Lives, said: “The generosity of Star Wars fans around the world has been overwhelming and this donation, one of the largest single donations in our history, will make a huge difference to the care we can provide to the 49,000 children and young people in Britain living with lifethreatening or life-limiting conditions.

“We’re hugely grateful to Disney, De La Rue, The GREAT Britain Campaign and eBay for their support in this unique project and it’s a fantastic example of the special relationship between the franchise and the UK.”

The design of notes included both artwork from the light and dark side, with hidden scenes and messages, and the director’s signature.

There is also a raised, handengraved drawing of series heroine Rey with a unique serial number.