BY DAY he’s an electrical engineer; but at weekends, Paul Smith undergoes a stunning transformation... into a seven-and-a-half-foot-tall Wookie!

Now Paul and an army of other sci-fi-loving ‘costumers’ – including several others from East Lothian – are doing their but to raise thousands of pounds for a charity dedicated to helping youngsters with life-shortening conditions.

Chewbacca, Storm Troopers and Ghostbusters are among the fictional characters from popular TV programmes, films and comics who will descend upon Edinburgh for the second Capital Sci-Fi Con later this month Dozens of like-minded people will be in an array of costumes at Meadowbank Stadium on February 18 and 19 – raising money for the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS).

Dedicated Star Wars fan Paul, 47, has his own Chewbacca costume, which he ordered online and cost in the region of £3,000.

The St Martin’s Place resident told the Courier: “I’m going to be 48 years old this year. I was eight when I went to see Star Wars: A New Hope and there was just something about it.

“It completely blew me away with the special effects, and the amount of folk I meet in costumes who say the same thing is incredible. I’m just one of many volunteers that help out.”

The event, he said, was the brainchild of Keith Armour, from Livingston.

Just over two years ago, he had been to visit Rachel House, one of CHAS’s two children’s hospices, and he was so moved by the experience that he wanted to do something to help.

Through Facebook, he got in touch with fellow costumers with a view to holding his own convention.

And in February last year, they had the first convention at Meadowbank.

That first event raised an impressive £37,680.68 for Rachel House, with plans for this year’s convention to be bigger and better.

One-hundred-and-thirty-five different costumers, many from East Lothian, will be in the Capital wearing costumes ranging from Star Wars characters to Ghostbusters and Batman to Pokemon.

Joining the hundreds of fans will be television stars like Hannah Spearritt, of Death in Paradise, Casualty and Primeval, Jon Campling, of Final Fantasy and Harry Potter, and Pam Rose, who was in the original Star Wars film and Space: 1999.

On top of that, there will be various traders, cars and props from a variety of movies and the chance to meet comic artists and writers.

Paul, who will be joined by Stephen and Claire Dawson, along with their children Emily and Charlie, all of Musselburgh; Dominique Oldham, of East Linton; and Phil Howard, from West Barns, told the Courier: “We are a non-profit organisation and we do not take a penny.”

Instead, all the money goes to CHAS.

Ahead of the convention, more than a dozen costumers have been visiting shopping centres across the Central Belt to raise funds.

Laura Campbell, CHAS community fundraiser, described founder Keith and the rest of the team behind the convention as “an extraordinary group of fundraisers”.

She said: “Through their infectious passion for all things sci-fi, and giving back to the community, they’re on target to raise an incredible £50,000 for CHAS.

“Not only this, but the event has just been named as Scotland’s number one convention, which is an amazing achievement given that it is only in its second year.”