BLEARY-eyed film fans had a wizard of a time when they attended the very first public screening of the Harry Potter blockbuster.

Dozens of people were up at the crack of dawn to make their way to the UGC Cinema in Astley Bridge for an 8am preview of the film.

And first in the queue was eight-year-old Jade Slater, a pupil at St Matthew's Primary School, Little Lever.

A delighted Jade said: "I love Harry Potter and I finished the last book this week. There was no way I was going to miss the film."

Her mother, Beverley, aged 33, added: "We thought that if we going to watch it in the morning we may as well go first thing...even if we are a little tired."

Around 3,000 tickets have been sold at UGC this weekend and today the film was due to be screened a staggering 20 times -- twice the number of previous movie hit Star Wars. The Warner Village cinema in Horwich is showing it 11 times.

Most of those queuing to watch the film were schoolgirls -- although there were more than a few adults waiting for their first glimpse of JK Rowling's creation.

Stuart Heaton, aged 45, from Astley Bridge, took his wife Mary, and children Jessica, aged 12, and Alice, aged nine. He said: "I think I was just as excited as our children. We've all read the books and we just had to see the film. It's just so imaginative."

Little Jake O'Byrne, aged five, was taken by his mum, Gill, aged 34. She said: "Jake tried to wake me up at 5.40am. He hasn't stopped talking about it."