
Hundreds of Harry Potter fans descended on King's Cross station in London today to mark what would be the first day back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hogwarts traditionally opens its doors every year on September 1 and is celebrated with a Back To Hogwarts Day.

Fans gather at the busy London transport hub to recreate the scene of students pushing through the wall to the hidden Platform 9 and 3/4 where the Hogwarts Express train waits.

Harry Potter superfans arrived at the station for the communal countdown to the famous train's 11am journey.

Harry Potter superfans arrived at London King's Cross for the communal countdown to the Hogwarts Express train's 11am journey

Cast members from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child performed at London King's Cross Station as fans gathered for the annual event

Harry Potter fans descend on central London to watch as the Hogwarts Express appears on the departure board during Back to Hogwarts Day. The day celebrates when Harry Potter started his journey back to Hogwarts every year

The departure was marked 'Edinburgh via Hogsmeade' on the board above the main entrance hall to represent the village where the fictional school is based

The departure was marked 'Edinburgh via Hogsmeade' on the board above the main entrance hall to represent the village where the fictional school is based.

Wachirun Terakosolphan, 30, from Thailand, was one of the fans who turned out. He said: 'I felt I turned back to be a young boy again when being surrounded by a group of Potterheads who are so much into in the same thing.

'I grew up with this magical story, so did they. It's a bond between this story, characters, casts and the fans.'

Two Harry Potter super fans get into the spirit in a Lego life-size brick-built 'flying' Ford Anglia that features in the much-loved films

Fans enjoyed the celebrations that took place at London King's Cross, donning the iconic black gowns and round glasses that Harry himself wore in the films

The crowds, who gathered in their hundreds for the highly-anticipated event were treated to performances from the cast members from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

A young boy dressed in a Harry Potter costume enjoys the day alongside scores of other excitable fans who arrived in time to watch the Hogwarts Express leave from Platform 9 and 3/4

The Floating Sorting Hat installation that celebrates the upcoming release of the new Wizarding World App was admired by fans today at London Kings Cross Station

The crowds that gathered were treated to performances from the cast members of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child who took to Twitter to say they had enjoyed the 'magical day'

Mr Terakosolphan said it was his first Back to Hogwarts Day, which this year included a dance performance from the cast of the West End musical Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.

Journalist Stefanie Gerdes was also at the King's Cross event, which she estimated was attended by more than 300 fans, with many dressed as their favourite characters from the books, films and stage franchise.

'Harry Potter has been such a big part of my life growing up, so doing this feels a little bit like fiction coming true.

'It's also nice to have such a big, public celebration of fandom itself - something that's so frequently a thing where young people find home and a community to express themselves, but which is often shamed and laughed at.'

Last year the celebration was attended by actors Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law, who surprised fans ahead of the release of the latest in the Harry Potter spin-off film franchise Fantastic Beasts.