Chewbacca actor has double knee surgery

Peter Mayhew, who portrayed Chewbacca in the Star Wars films, has had double knee-replacement surgery at a Texas hospital.

British-born actor Mayhew, who is 7ft 3ins, is recovering at Plaza Medical Centre in Fort Worth. His wife Angie said her 69-year-old husband had the operation on Monday and hoped to walk again. She said he had been using a wheelchair for two years.

Mrs Mayhew says her husband also had a tendon-stretching procedure to stabilise his legs. Mayhew was born with a condition known as gigantism, which causes excessive growth.

His medical issues will be the subject of an upcoming documentary, Standing In The Stars – The Peter Mayhew Story.

The Mayhews live in Boyd, about 20 miles north west of Fort Worth.