Ford in first appearance since crash

US actor Harrison Ford has made his first public appearance since he was injured in a plane crash in March.

The 72-year-old took to the stage on a Star Wars panel at the San Diego Comic-Con in front of thousands of fans.

“I’m fine,” Ford reportedly said. “I walked here so how bad can it be?”

Ford, who suffered a broken ankle and pelvis when he crashed his small plane on to a golf course, appeared alongside original Star Wars trilogy cast members, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.

The trio who played Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia in the sci-fi saga reprise their roles in the next instalment, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

‘Felt great’

“It should have felt ridiculous,” Ford said about stepping back on to a Star Wars set after such a long period.

“It was 30 plus years ago, and I sort of grew up. Yet here I was. I will tell you that it felt great.”

Some fans had queued for days for a seat at the Star Wars event. The panel also included The Force Awakens director J J Abrams, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, and the film’s co-writer Lawrence Kasdan.

The film’s two young British stars, Daisy Ridley who plays Rey and John Boyega who plays Finn, also took to the stage.

As well as being given the chance to ask questions, the audience was also the first to see a three-minute behind the scenes video. The clip showed scenes being shot abroad and at Pinewood studios in Buckinghamshire.

The Force Awakens is set for release on 18 December and is the first in a new series of the sci-fi franchise.