A Twickenham designer who made costumes for the original Star Wars film believes the force is as strong as ever following the release of the trailer for the latest franchise instalment.

Andrew Ainsworth, 65, who sells authentic replica costumes from his studio near Twickenham Green, said he expects the Star Wars: The Force Awakens sneak preview and December’s film release to double his year’s profits.

He said: “You get a peak and trough every time a film or trailer comes out.

“The trailer was pretty successful, I clicked on it after about eight hours of being online and it was already up to 17 million views.

“With the film to be released at Christmas time, we should double up this year.”

Mr Ainsworth designed the original stormtrooper helmet in 1976 as well as making more than 200 characters for the first Star Wars film, A New Hope, which was released in 1977.

He said: “The new film is all based on the first set of characters, modified and brought up to date really.

“Stormtroopers, X-wing and TIE fighter pilots, they are all what we started with, so it has gone back to its original raw concept, which is interesting.”

After winning a lengthy copyright court battle against Lucasfilm in 2011, in which the film’s creator sued for £12m, Mr Ainsworth was allowed to continue to sell the Stormtrooper helmets he designed back in the 1970s.

Mr Ainsworth added he was not surprised that Star Wars had become a phenomenon.

He said: “Star Wars was always going to be a winner, people realised it was something different even before it was finished.”

With a full authentic stormtrooper outfit costing nearly £1,700, Mr Ainsworth said there is a particular demographic for his products.

He said: “It’s 99 per cent male.

“The only time I get women on the phone is when they’re shopping for their husband’s 40th birthdays.”