It's a small world

On paper, there may appear to be nothing unusual about Michael Henbury. The 42-year-old from Southampton enjoys his work as a customs officer at the city's docks.

His main interest in life is his family and he is delighted to have become a father last year.

He lives happily with his wife and child in Eastleigh and enjoys swimming, playing snooker and watching his favourite football team - the Saints - on television.

However, there is something that makes Michael Henbury one of a kind.

At two foot 11 inches tall, he is the shortest man in the UK.

Although he is half the size of the average man, Michael does not find his height has held him back.

In fact, he has turned his small stature to his advantage, winning himself roles in a number of films including Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Labyrinth and Willow.

He has also recently filmed his role in new Brit flick Hot Gold starring Daniela Nardini, from This Life, and Honor Blackman.

Michael's film career kicked off when he got a call at work from the Star Wars production team inviting him to come to a casting.

The call came as quite a surprise to Michael.

"As you can imagine, if someone from a Star Wars production phones you up, you're a little bit taken aback by it.

"I didn't know if it was one of the lads having a bit of a joke" he explains.

But it was no joke.

One of Michael's colleagues had told the Star Wars team about him, having read that they were looking for someone like him for their new movie.

As soon as they met Michael they immediately offered him a role as an Ewok in the film.

Michael spent three weeks shooting his role in the blockbuster and says that the experience is something that will always stay with him.

However, not everything was plain sailing.

The Ewok costumes were very restrictive and heavy.

The headpieces were so enclosed they could only be worn for a minute at a time and the eyepieces steamed up easily.

As a result, Michael was the first actor to test if the safety nets worked when he tripped and took a 50-foot tumble from the treetop set.

On another occasion he began to feel rather hot around his rear and realised that he had set fire to his bottom.

Despite these hiccups, Michael describes his time as an Ewok as "one big holiday".

In fact he enjoyed performing so much that he got himself an agent and went on to appear in a number of other films.

So far, he has also appeared on television, including the BBC version The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and in Holiday on Ice as one of the Seven Dwarves.

Unfortunately Michael's no natural skater.

As a result he spent a sizeable amount of his time with the production being pulled around on the ice.

Although Michael enjoys performing, he has never been interested in pursuing a career as an actor.

He has never been to acting school and, for him, it is a pleasant sideline.

In the meantime he's more than happy in his role as a customs officer.

Although lots of short actors find work in pantomimes, in the typical role of one of the seven dwarves, Michael is not interested in such work, as it would take him away from his job for too long.

But Michael would love to be in another Star Wars film.

"They've been making more Star Wars films but, up to now, they haven't required any little people, which is unfortunate.

"I'd love to do that if it came up again, so fingers crossed."

Michael's positive outlook on his acting career is reflected in his attitude to life in general.

He could easily feel that life has dealt him a poor hand.

The inherited disorder that caused him to stop growing - diastrophic dysplasia - is incredibly rare and Michael grew up surrounded by average-height people, including his twin brother, Malcolm.

He says of his small stature: "I wouldn't say it's been a huge bonus, but I wouldn't say it's been a huge disadvantage either.

"We're all put on this earth for a reason and you're only here once, so I don't see the point of moping around feeling sorry for myself.

"I laugh at myself sometimes and I make jokes about myself - it's just the way I am.

"School wasn't too bad, because obviously you're growing up with the same bunch of children and I was very popular anyway.

"In the outside world where you're working for a living it's a lot tougher."

He encountered some prejudice when he started work and felt that he had to prove himself more than others.

People staring at him in the street and making rude comments is just part of his day-to-day life.

But Michael has more important things to focus on - including the best thing ever to happen to him.

Michael recently became the proud father of a baby boy, Joseph, who he describes as "quite a handsome chap - even though he's quite a handful.

"Obviously, he's of normal height.

"He's about eight-and-a-half, nine months old now and don't I know it - he's not much smaller than me now!"

Michael shares taking care of Joseph with his wife, Joyce.

The couple were married in April last year in St Edward The Confessor Catholic Church in Chandler's Ford.

This is Michael's second marriage.

"I've been fortunate to have as many relationships as anyone else - maybe too many."

However, he seems to have found his ideal match with Joyce and is more than happy to settle down with her and their child.

The couple met through a friendship club four years ago, which set people up as pen pals with people from overseas.

Having corresponded with each other for some time, Joyce, who comes from the Philippines, and Michael met up in Hong Kong.

They clicked immediately and when Michael returned to the UK, the couple began to make arrangements for Joyce to join him.

She moved to Britain a year and a half ago and the couple were married a few months later.

With a happy marriage, a beautiful baby, a good job and a forthcoming film, Michael Henbury's life is near perfect.

Now all he needs is that call from Star Wars.