HARRY Potter mania has already come to Southampton, a week before the film goes on general release.

Children and adults flocked to the Odeon at Leisure World for a weekend of special preview screenings of Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets, pictured.

The cinema showed the sure-fire box office smash - based on the second of J K Rowling's best-selling books - in five screens throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

About 8,000 people saw the film over the weekend.

Cinema assistant manager Jennie Hoye said: "The morning and evening showings have been sold out because the mornings are popular with the kids and the later showings are busy with adults.

"It's been incredible. Last week we had a look at Friday's bookings and all the luxury seats were sold out."

In The Chamber of Secrets the junior wizard ignores warnings not to return to Hogwarts, only to find himself haunted by a strange voice and the school plagued by a series of mysterious attacks.

Despite the fact it's three hours long, the young viewers who caught the film seemed to agree with the critics that the movie is better than the first.

After the weekend's successful "special previews", the Odeon is looking forward to the official previews on Thursday and Friday, after which it plans to carry on screening the movie up to 20 times a day.

Jenny said: "Because we had a taster of it last year and we knew the film was going to create even more interest, we decided to hold the special previews. It's been manic with pre-bookings and very busy at the box office with people just coming down.

"I think next week will be even busier because more people know about the general release date than the special previews. We'll be showing it as much as we can to cope with demand."