It may have been just the latest, greatest email hoax, but Jason Fox will be joining the Jedi in this year's census anyway.

The call went out on the internet for Star Wars fans to enter their religion on the national survey forms as "Jedi" in a bid to have the intergalactic superheroes officially recognised.

Fan Jason, 33, of Worthing, is just one of the devoted followers who has taken up the call.

Jason has wanted to be a Jedi Knight since he first sat transfixed in front of the original science fiction film in 1977. Now he hopes the national census will make his dream come true.

Every ten years the Office for National Statistics compiles a detailed picture of society in the UK through a compulsory survey, the national census.

By April 29, Census Day, every household in Britain will have received a questionnaire asking about subjects including age, accommodation, health, qualifications and, for the first time, religion.

It is the new religion question which has prompted the e-mail crusade to sign up fans as Jedi, the philosophy from the sci-fi blockbuster.

Jason said: "I have sent the e-mail to all my friends since I was sent it about a week ago.

"Almost everyone I know has received more than one version of the call to arms and even if only a small percentage of recipients decide to stake their allegiance then that's a lot of Jedis.

"It's a bit of fun and I think many people without strong religious convictions will think 'why not?'.

"People of all ages follow the Star Wars story. They are drawn to it and it has become a cultural phenomenon. This is just another way of keeping the idea alive."

The e-mail, of unknown origin, claims: "If there are enough people, who put down a religion that isn't mentioned on the census form it becomes a fully recognised and legal religion.

"It usually takes about 10,000 people to nominate the same religion. It is for this reason that it has been suggested that anyone who does not have a dominant religion to put 'Jedi' as their religion."

The mischievous message has been spreading rapidly among the internet community and the Census co-ordinators have been inundated with questions about it.

However, officials say registering your religion as Jedi will not result in official recognition from the Office for National Statistics, no matter how many knights sign up.

A spokesperson for the UK Census 2001 said: "This new question is the only voluntary item in the census and we hope everyone will choose to fill it in.

"However, I can assure you there will be no category set up to record the number of people saying they are Jedis. They will simply be recorded as holding a religion other than the ones specified on the form."

The Government uses Census information to plan policy for major services such as housing, jobs, schools, health and transport.

Failure to complete and return the form is an offence with a maximum penalty of £1,000.