The force could be with you if you've got a stash of 1970s and 80s toys gathering dust in your loft.

Valuations of original Star Wars figures are soaring, with some of the toys selling for tens of thousands of pounds.

So, it could be a story of the empire pays back if you've still got any of them - just so long as you didn't play with them.

A rare Boba Fett in its original packaging has sold for more than £26,000, and other figures have gone for hundreds.

Various dolls from the 1970s and 80s frequently sell on eBay for around £70.

The most valuable and sought-after figures are the 'carded' ones, which still retain the printed cardboard backing of their original packaging.

Previously, Vectis Auctions sold an R2-D2 toy dating back to the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back for £750. Both it and its original packaging were in near mint condition.

A 1977 Jawa figure, also with its original packaging and in near-mint condition, fetched £620, while a 1980 Yoda with its package went for £320.

The holy grails of Star Wars collectibles are the very first versions of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi, which had “double telescoping” lightsabers.

There is also the semi-mystical 'rocket firing Boba Fett' – one such figurine sold last year at Vectis for £18,600.

Darren Williams of shopping site PromotionalCodes.org.uk said: “More than 300 million Star Wars action figures were sold between 1978 and 1985, so it’s safe to say there must be quite a lot that are still floating around in people’s possession.”

The newest Star Wars film The Last Jedi is fast approaching and interest in the franchise is only going to intensify, so now's a good time to raid the attic.

Ten rarest original Star Wars toys, according to PromotionalCodes.org.uk:

Double-telescoping lightsaber figures

The very first action figures of Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker had lightsabers that extended twice to full length. The Darth Vader double-telescoping lightsaber figure is believed to be the rarest of the three, followed by Obi-Wan and Luke.

Rocket-firing Boba Fett

This toy is almost legendary. An early Boba Fett prototype had a rocket that fired from its back, but did not go into mass production due to safety concerns.

'Small head' Han Solo

The very first Han Solo was discontinued early for not bearing a close enough resemblance to Harrison Ford, and replaced by another version with a larger head.

Vinyl cape Jawa

The original 'vinyl cape' Jawa model from 1978 is another rarity, having been swiftly replaced with a cloth-caped version.

Blue Snaggletooth

When creating this toy back in the day, manufacturer Kenner had only a black and white headshot to work from. It decided to make the creature blue, but then in the film the alien wore red and was half the height. The original Blue Snaggletooth is a collector’s item.

Yak Face

This is especially valuable in America, where it was never sold. It was the last action figure to be made before the line ceased in 1985.

FX-7 Medical Droid

It had just a few seconds of screen time in The Empire Strikes Back, but this model is a jewel for collectors.

Vlix

This little-known character is from the Star Wars spin-off show Droids. It is very rare - only one line of the Vlix model was produced, in Brazil.

1985 Anakin Skywalker

There have been numerous recent Anakin Skywalker dolls, but the 1985 original is a rare collector’s item.

White cloaked Bib Fortuna

The Bib Fortuna figure had a brown cloak, but a few prototypes with white ones were produced.