A BAFTA-winning actress has swapped her spell books for a literary performance in a bid to bring to life the characters of Charles Dickens.

Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes, who played Herbology teacher Professor Sprout throughout the franchise, returned to headline the Christmas Dickensian Festival in Malton this weekend.

Margolyes, whose one-woman show Dickens' Women was nominated for an Olivier Award, performed her show on Saturday at the Milton Rooms in the town.

The show brings to life the women in Dickens' novels, from Little Nell to Miss Havisham.

She said: "Malton is the perfect setting for a Dickensian Festival and I have been looking forward to returning to The Milton Rooms'.

"I fell in love with Dickens at school and would like to appeal to children, young people and adults alike to come and enjoy the spirit of A Christmas Carol."

She added: "Dickens is the best. Once you’re hooked by his words, his books will enrich you over a lifetime. It’s going to be enormous fun."

Lucinda Hawksley, author and great, great granddaughter of Charles Dickens, and broadcaster Selina Scott also hosted a Dickens Q&A and book signing.

Ms Hawksley spoke about her celebrated ancestor, read extracts from Dickens’ books, and signed copies of her latest book Charles Dickens and his Circle.

The event was organised by the Malton Dickensian Festival volunteer team, who raised funds to bring home a rare, signed copy of A Christmas Carol in 2012 from a New York collector.

The book, the team believe, adds weight to the claim he based Scrooge’s Counting House on his friend Charles Smithson’s office in Chancery Lane. Smithson was a young lawyer in Malton, and Dickens was godfather to Smithson’s daughter Mary.

When Smithson died tragically young, aged 39, Dickens travelled to the funeral in Malton and sent on the inscribed copy of A Christmas Carol to his pregnant widow, Elizabeth.

Dickens’ brother Alfred, also lived in Malton.

Ms Scott, who led the crusade to bring home the book to the town, said: “We are delighted Miriam Margolyes, one of the finest actors of her generation, was so entranced with Malton and has returned again this year.”