Harry Potter studio tour announced for 2012

(However, if you’ve been thinking all along that Harry and his friends' wizarding ways were real, then perhaps you should stop reading at this point - we wouldn’t want to spoil the magic…)

Walking tours of the Warner Bros studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, where all eight films in the Harry Potter franchise were made, have been announced for spring 2012.

Fans will be able to visit the sets where the Great Hall and the Gryffindor common room are housed, as well as being allowed access to Dumbledore’s office and Hagrid’s hut.

Plans for the Warner Bros Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter were announced yesterday at London film conference Empire Presents BIG SCREEN.

As well as exploring the Harry Potter sets, which spread over 150,000 square feet, visitors will also get an insight into the animatronics used in the films. The technology behind creatures including Buckbeak, Aragog the giant spider, Fawkes the phoenix and the huge Basilisk head will be revealed in the Creature Effects workshop.

Sarah Roots, vice-president of the Warner Bros Studio Tour, said, "We are thrilled that fans will soon be able to experience the award-winning artistry and talent that lovingly went into producing the actual sets, props, costumes and special effects of this record-breaking film series."

Rupert Grint, who plays Ron, added, "The sets all have tiny little details that you may not always notice in the films but when you actually walk through them, you can see all the work that's gone into it. It's really amazing."

Tickets for the tour must be booked in advance and will be available from 13 October.