Dying Star Wars fan granted screening wish

A terminally-ill Star Wars fan's dying wish was granted days before he died when director Gareth Edwards gave him access to new movie Rogue One.

Neil Hanvey, 36, was told he had months to live in April (16), and family members started a Facebook campaign for a special screening of the much-anticipated movie, which is released in December (16).

Star Wars icon Mark Hamill backed the campaign by retweeting a message from a staff member at the hospice in England, where Hanvey spent his final days - and now it appears the fan's dying wish was granted before he passed away earlier this week (beg22Aug16).

A message on the campaign page on Facebook reads: "On behalf of Neil Hanvey, his wife Andrea and all his family, we want to thank everyone who supported the #RogueOneWish campaign. The director of Rogue One, Gareth Edwards, did all he could to make Saturday a very special day for Neil.

"Neil, his family and everyone at St Michael's Hospice would like to say thank you to Disney, Lucasfilm and especially Gareth Edwards."

It isn't the first time a dying Star Wars fan has scored a special screening - last year (15), Daniel Fleetwood saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens early, just days before he lost his battle with cancer.