AT LAST! HARRY'S HERE: WITCHING HOUR; World goes crazy for JK's latest Harry Potter book.

Byline: STEVE ATKINSON 

THE world went Harry Potter crazy at midnight last night as thousands clamoured to buy the book as soon as it went on sale.

Crowds queued all over the globe for JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The fifth book in the series had already broken internet sales records, with more than a million orders received by online retailer Amazon worldwide, including more than 350,000 in the UK.

WHSmith recreated the entrance to Platform Nine-and-three-quarters at King's Cross Station in London.

Fans could push a luggage trolley through the wall to re-enact the way Harry gets to the Hogwarts Express to wizard school.

One, Lisa Brummet, 12, from Arizona, said at the station: "I love it so much I get goosebumps."

Her 16-year-old sister Stephanie added: "It's kind of nice to escape to a place a bit more magical."

The girls were with mum Sandie, dad Delbert and brother Mark, 18. The family had rescheduled their two-week tour of Europe to be in London for the launch. More than 100 WHSmith stores had planned midnight openings with sleepovers, fancy dress and professional falconers with owls.

Waterstone's opened more than 100 branches late.

Its store in Piccadilly, London, converted an entire floor to Potter's World with Gryffindor's Common Room and Hagrid's Cabin.

Dame Judi Dench was at the book launch with daughter Finty Williams and grandson Sam, six.

Signing autographs for fans who had been waiting since 4pm, she said: "I don't think there has been so much hype about a book since Lady Chatterley's Lover."

Pop star Sting also attended wife his wife Trudie Styler and their two children. The singer said: "I'm just here for the kids. I haven't even read the last one."

But celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay confessed he was a big Potter fan.

Emerging from the store with wife Tana and their five-year-old daughter Megan, he said: "With four children aged five and under you have got no choice but to be a fan.

"I think it's a great thing that so many children love Harry Potter.

"It is a lot safer than surfing the internet and it encourages children to read more, which can only be a good thing."

Guildford library in Surrey claimed it was the only one issuing copies at midnight. Staff in Hogwarts costumes lent copies to 80 eight to 16-year-olds who won a draw.

Across the world the fifth Potter book was launched simultaneously at midnight UK time.

In New York an over-zealous shopkeeper put it on the shelves too early. A copy signed by JK Rowling was delivered to the city's public library by armoured car in honour of the September 11 victims.

In Sydney, Australia, one shop laid on a Harry Potter train for nearly 1,000 fans - boarding at platform nine-and-three-quarters for a fancy dress breakfast.

A library in Columbus, Ohio, kept the books out of sight in the basement until the launch time for fear of sparking an early mad dash among the hundreds of fans gathered outside.

A spokesman said: "'We were afraid if we wheeled them through the building when patrons were around we would start a frenzy."

The launch sparked a price war between high street bookshops and supermarkets. Tesco is offering it at pounds 9.97 and Safeway pounds 9.99 - well below the recommended retail price of pounds 16.99.

CAPTION(S):

FRENZY: Children clamour for Harry in Edinburgh and JK Rowling holds her book early today