HARRY Potter hysteria hit Swindon as thousands of people headed for the cinema to watch what could be one of the biggest films for years.

It doesn't officially open until Friday, but several thousand people passed through the doors of the town's two major cinemas to catch preview showings of the film version of JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Tickets were being sold up to two weeks before this weekend's preview showings.

Cineworld in Greenbridge played the movie an unprecedented 52 times over the two days.

And there were queues of people at the UGC Cinema in Shaw Ridge well before the first 8.30am screening on Saturday.

Most performances were completely sold out before the weekend with hopeful families without tickets having to gamble on turning up to the box-office early.

A UGC spokesman said: "It has been very, very busy with only a few seats in each performance not pre-booked up.

"We have had so many children coming through the doors. There has been quite a lot of queuing going on.

"The opening day was very well attended.

"All the kids have been coming out raving about Harry and you can see from their reactions they enjoyed it.

"It is the latest craze."

Predicted to be as big as Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Harry Potter mania looks like running past the Christmas season.

Featuring a Who's Who of British acting talent including Robbie Coltrane and Maggie Smith, director Chris Columbus's film has received critical acclaim.

Child star Daniel Radcliffe has become the hero of youngsters nationwide as the boy magician who leaves home to train at the Hogwart's School of Witchcraft.

Some scenes were filmed in the Wiltshire village of Lacock, and hundreds of people flocked to the Wiltshire village in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the actors. Film crews also descended on Gloucester Cathedral, where scenes inside Hogwart's were filmed.