Harry Potter mania came to Keighley this week as hundreds of people snapped up advance tickets for the blockbuster movie.

The town's Picture House sold 200 tickets over the weekend and within days expects to sell the 700 that remain.

The North Street cinema is putting another 900 tickets aside for people who queue for the first screenings next weekend.

And it is offering to arrange special weekday morning screenings of the magical adventure for local schools.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, based on J K Rowling's best-selling children's book, is expected to be the biggest film of the year.

One thousand prints of the film are being made for the UK so small cinemas, like the Picture House, can open at the same time as multiplexes, who are each showing several prints at the same time.

Officially released on November 16, the film will arrive in Keighley six days earlier for special preview screenings.

The Picture House has arranged 10.30am, 2.30pm and 7.15pm showings each day on November 10 and 11.

Tickets can be booked in advance by credit card either by phoning 01535 691926 or calling in person on weekday evenings or weekends.

Cinema manager Roger Bartle was this week gearing up for Pottermania as staff dealt with dozens of calls.

He said the credit card booking system was brought in a few weeks ago but had not been used in earnest until now.

He added: "We thought it only fair to have queuing on the pavement on the day. It wouldn't be fair to sell all the tickets by credit card."

The film returns to the Picture House on November 16 for daily screenings, and tickets for these will be on sale after next weekend.

Free tickets will be offered in a competition this month in the Keighley News in conjunction with the Picture House.

Schools are being invited to contact the Picture House to arrange special group screenings during school time.