A WIZARD bout of Pottermania hit York as World Book Day sent youngsters scurrying for their spellbooks.

The boy wizard, star of JK Rowling's series of best-selling novels, was a popular choice for pupils at Canon Lee School, who like others around the city were given the chance to dress up as their favourite literary heroes.

Maths and science were replaced by lessons in wizardry, spell-writing and potion-mixing as Canon Lee became Hogwarts, the academy where Harry trains as a wizard.

His adventures are coming to the silver screen this year in the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and poet Nick Toczek will be holding workshops at the school.

The school also held a fancy dress day, a book raffle and competitions.

Pupils were encouraged to bring in their favourite books and group readings took place.

Meanwhile, during term time through the year Anna Cornhill is seen as head teacher of Scarcroft School, but on World Book Day she turned up as Little Bo Peep.

Pupils arrived for lessons in fancy dress, at assembly they performed class parades and during the day favourite stories were reviewed by pupils writing Book Bites.

And dressing as favourite characters was the order of the day for staff and pupils at Clifton Without Junior School.

Updated: 11:17 Saturday, March 03, 2001