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IT'S the ultimate festive dream for Harry Potter fans - Christmas at Hogwarts.

Warner Bros. Studio has just lifted the lid on how fantasy fans can follow in the footsteps of JK Rowling's bespectacled wizard and enjoy the famous towering Christmas trees and grand dinner tables of the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

A tour of the Harry Potter studios takes in many of the famous sights of the eight fantasy films, which form the highest-grossing movie series ever, raking in £5billion in worldwide receipts.

But if you're tempted by the turkey, ham and puddings, or fancy letting a snowflake fall on your tongue, you should think twice. Because the pudding's made of resin and the snow from salt.

(Image: PA)

Visitors can follow the trail of Harry, Hermione and Ron through the film's sets, discover treasures hidden in Dumbledore’s office and check out the colourful shop fronts on Diagon Alley.

The tour, which is 20 miles north west of London, has just been given a festive make over and is now being billed as Hogwarts in the Snow, which runs until February 1.

Special effects experts that worked on the films have transformed the tour into a snow-sprinkled taster of how the festive scenes in the family flicks were achieved.

The showpiece of the tour is a spectacular scale model of Hogwarts Castle, built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

(Image: PA)

Durham Cathedral and Alnwick Castle in Northumberland were used for many of the shots, but atmospheric cuts of the courtyard tower and turrets were made using the 1:24 scale model, which was produced by a 40-strong team.

Most of the snow used in the films was a mix of paper and salt - used because it gathers like snow and makes a realistic sound under foot.

During filming, the mixture was sprinkled onto the model by hand with a sieve.

Fans can also marvel at the Great Hall, which will be decorated with the original props seen during the festive feast in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Eight Christmas trees will be hung with over 200 gold stars, and the dining tables will be dressed with prop versions of turkeys, hams, fruit, vegetables and snow cakes.

Plum puddings will be rigged with flames, using gas pipes hidden along the floor and running up on to the tables, while crackers in each of the house colours – red and gold for Gryffindor, green and silver for Slytherin, blue and silver for Ravenclaw and yellow and gold for Hufflepuff – will also dress the tables.

Other attractions include the first Christmas present Harry received at Hogwarts – his Invisibility Cloak.

Tickets are available at www.wbstudiotour.co.uk