SPELLBOUND muggles from across East Lancashire have attempted to break a record for the largest Harry Potter reading lesson in the world.

Around 470 budding book worms from Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (DACA) and 187 pupils from Witton Park High School in Blackburn took part in the magical challenge.

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Both schools read chapters from JK Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – the seventh and final book in the best-selling series.

They were joined by 75 schools nationwide attempting to break the current Guinness World Record, which to date stands at 2,604, set by the Ministry of Interior in United Arab Emirates in May this year.

Janet McCarthy, learning resource centre manager at DACA, said chapter one was read out by author JK Rowling from a projected screen and the youngsters continued.

She said: “The whole event could not have gone better, it was a really good day.

“I’m glad the rain held off in time for everyone to sit outside and read the book.

“The children that read out loud were really brave, reading in front of hundreds of people is nerve-wracking.

“We don’t know yet if we have broken the record as all the children in every school need to be counted and all the videos and pictures need to be verified.

“I really hope we do break the record, it would be great for the school to do so.”

Strict rules meant that each school would have to include a minimum of 100 children and there would have to be at least 30 minutes of speaking by a child or teacher.

Clare Cross, head of Key Stage Three English at Witton Park Primary School, said: “It was a wonderful opportunity for students to be involved in an activity that not only encourages them to develop their love for reading, but also enables them to be a part of something great.

“I think the attempt almost went too well because we have had the children ask me what other records we can break.”

The schools will now wait for the record attempt to be confirmed.