The actor who plays Draco Malfoy, who is Harry Potter’s enemy in the films, is actually related to witches, it was claimed today.

Tom Felton, 19, is descended from convicts hanged during the notorious Salem witch trials in 1692, according to reports.

Researcher David Nelson, of Salt Lake City in America, told The Sun: ‘I have discovered concrete proof of a link between Tom and some of those who were executed.

‘He is a distant relative of John Proctor – who was hanged on Augusts 19, 1692. I have informed Tom’s manager about witches in his family tree.”

He found that Felton is also related to seven of those involved in the hunt. One of them was Lt Nathaniel Felton, who was a defence witness in the trial which followed two young girls suffering fits and mysterious illnesses in Salem, Massachusetts.

The Salem witches was the subject of Arthur Mille’s pay The Crucible and Mr Nelson has been looking into the history for several years, the Sun reported.

Malfoy is Harry’s enemy at Hogwarts School in JK Rowling’s books and Felton has become famous for the role which he plays in all the films.