Colchester went Harry Potter mad for the last time to mark the long-awaited release of the boy wizard's final adventure.
A sell-out Potter party thrown by High Street store Red Lion books saw 200 children and their parents join in spooky fun and games at Colchester Castle from 10pm on Friday, in the run-up to the book going on sale at a minute past midnight.
Meanwhile, 1,000 people queued outside Waterstones, in Culver Street, to get their hands on a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as soon as the publisher's embargo was lifted.
Young bookworms could have strolled into town at their leisure on Saturday to buy the novel, with no shortage of stock at both bookstores and supermarkets.
But, having waited months for the last instalment of the series, the crowds were determined to lose no time getting stuck in to the 600-page tome.
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