BOOK-BUYERS queued with sleep in their eyes when the latest Harry Potter best-seller hit the bookshelves at the weekend.

Millions of children worldwide, and some adults too, had eagerly-awaited the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth in the series.

Customers queued outside WH Smith, in High Street, High Wycombe, and outside Ottakars Bookshop, in nearby White Hart Street, from as early as 7.30am, with both stores selling out of copies of the new book by JK Rowling.

WH Smith held activities, a story time and face-painting during the day and staff at Ottakars dressed in witches costumes and had a balloon release and a children's colouring competition, to celebrate the book's launch.

Lucinda Quixley, manager of Ottakars, said she had never seen one book or author generate so much public interest and the store had to be rearranged to cope with the massive demand.

She said: 'The Hobbitt and the Narnia Chronicles are always popular, but nothing compares to the level of interest in Harry Potter. It's total and utter mayhem.'

Eight-year-old Laura Cantwell, of Fairfax, near Washington DC, caused a stir with the book's publishers last week, after her father got hold of a copy of the book prior to the its release, because of a local bookstore's error.

Children nationwide are now engrossed in the latest tales of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and are finding out who Harry's girlfriend is, whether he wins at the flying broomstick game Quidditch and, sadly, which character dies.