A group of Russian lawyers is reportedly planning a law suit against Harry Potter producers Warner Bros over apparent similarities between Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, and CGI-tastic Chamber of Secrets star Dobby the elf.

In a story so strange it has to be true, legal eagles in the continent-spanning nation believe they can proove the bald, floppy-eared, pointy-nosed, bug-eyed creature is based on their beloved leader.

Similar suggestions have been circulating on the internet in recent months, with the BBC's children's website CBBC even going so far as to post a poll on the matter. Of 5,500 votes cast, just over 54 per cent agreed that Putin and Dobby had probably been separated at birth.

The reports of legal action originally surfaced in a Russian newspaper, according to eonline.com. A spokesman for the Russian lawyers' guild told Radio Free Europe: "Similar suits have taken place. But it's very difficult for courts to rule on them; lots of experts have to be called in. It's doubtful if it has a chance."

Reports that George Bush is unhappy at his resemblance to Gollum in The Two Towers have so far proved difficult to confirm.