Wand waving young fans materialised at Malmesbury Library in robes, wigs and masks for a celebration of the world’s favourite boy wizard.

Children, aged from eight to 11, indulged in Harry Potter-themed activities, including a sorting hat game and designing a dragon egg.

Community librarian Caro-lyn Kennedy said: “The children really entered into the spirit of it all. Their costumes were fantastic.

“We had a lot of wizards; not just Harrys but other characters from the books.”

A National Harry Potter Day already exists, on May 2, but this event was part of a first UK-wide Harry Potter Book Night, when children were invited to “share the wonder of JK Rowling’s unforgettable stories.”

Mrs Kennedy said: “This is a generation of children who are just beginning to read the Harry Potter books.

“Many wouldn’t have picked up a book had it not been for the important and excellent Harry Potter novels.”

Once the wizards and other lookalikes arrived, they were sorted into Hogwarts’ houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin.