TRAINEE wizards are set to retrace the now famous footsteps of Harry Potter, steaming through the Forbidden Forest on their way to Hogwarts School.

As Potter-mania continued to grip the country yesterday following the release of one of the biggest British films of all time, the region's tourist attractions were preparing to reap the benefit of their links to the boy wizard.

The staggering success of the £100m movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, has been felt nowhere more so than on the North York Moors, which was seen by Warner Bros executives as an ideal location to help transfer the publishing phenomenon on to the big screen.

Young fans and their parents flocked to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway yesterday for a sneak preview of the first in a series of events entitled A Wizard Day Out.

The promotion, which officially starts in February, will give Harry Potter fans a chance to take a train journey through the many parts of the Ryedale district featured in the film.

Families will travel along the same route that millions of cinema-goers have watched Harry Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe, take on board the Hogwarts Express in the blockbuster film.

The train will pass through Cropton Forest, near Pickering, alias the Forbidden Forest, before heading to Goathland Station, where former Cracker star Robbie Coltrane filmed scenes for the movie last year.

Corina Inverno, tourism officer for Ryedale District Council, said: "It is great for Ryedale and for attractions in the district that they feature in such a blockbuster film.

"Once again the natural beauty of the area will be promoted to millions of people throughout the world - something that all Ryedale residents can take a pride in."

Caroline Dickinson, marketing manager for the railway, said: "We were delighted to be approached by Warner Brothers for the filming of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone at Goathland Station and through the North York Moors on our line."

The promotion will get under way during the February half-term.