HARRY Potter is set to weave its spell on Dorset one last time following yesterday’s premiere of the final film in the hugely successful series.

The screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two is expected to draw bumper crowds to cinemas across Bournemouth and Poole.

But Harry’s final battle with the evil Lord Voldemort is likely to leave diehard fans, many who have grown up with the schoolboy wizard, with a tear in their eye as they say goodbye to the magical world of Hogwarts for the final time.

General manager of Empire at Tower Park, in Poole, Susi Teall said the cinema complex was opening a staggering six screens for up to 1,500 fans to watch the film, minutes after it goes out on general release at midnight on July 15.

“I’ve been here for 16 years and I can’t remember the last time we had to open as many screens,” she said. “So many people are desperate to watch it and find out what happens at the end.”

Senior bookseller at Waterstones, in Bournemouth, Markus Turner told how sales of the books often increased when the films came out as fans bought copies to read or re-read before they watch the movie.

But he revealed that even without the films he deals with at least two or three enquiries a day from shoppers, including many foreign students, searching for the popular adventure novels.

“I never thought in my lifetime that we would get a character that would become as embedded in the British psyche as to be comparable with Sherlock Holmes, Tin Tin or Asterix,” he said.

“It’s the Britishness of the world Harry Potter lives in that people from countries all over the world buy into. There is no doubt that it is a phenomenon.

“The strange thing is that the hype is natural, it’s not been deliberately created, it just happened. It’s simply been a result of word of mouth and is testimony to the strength of the characters.”

The final film pits the boy who cannot be killed against his nemesis, he who cannot be named, as Lord Voldemort and his army of deatheaters attempt to storm Harry’s school Hogwarts.

Among the host of celebrities at the premiere, which was held in Trafalgar Square, in London, were the three stars of the cast Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry, Emma Watson, who plays Hermione and Rupert Grint, who plays Ron.

Dad-of-two Alex Smith, 34, of Talbot Avenue, said he loved reading the Harry Potter stories when he was younger and was looking forward to sharing them with his sons when they were older.

“When I was first given the book I was in my 20s and was told it was a book for children,” he said. “I didn’t even look at it for a couple of days.

“Shortly afterwards I had a day off and had nothing else to do so I started reading it. I was still reading when my wife came back from work. It’s just a brilliant story and I can’t wait to read it to my boys when they’re a bit more grown up.”

Katherine Davies, 27, from Parkstone, in Poole, said: “I loved the books. I haven’t seen all the films but I will definitely watch this one when it comes out.

“It is a bit sad because it’s the end of an era. I loved the characters and it’s just a shame that it’s all come to an end.”