Castle in spotlight as Potter returns

Alnwick Castle will again be doubling as Hogwarts School in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, following the runaway success of the first film.

Production company Warner Bros confirmed yesterday that filming is to begin in mid-March and pupils from Alnwick schools have already been invited to audition for what may be some speaking parts.

But the movie crews will not be returning to Grosmont, where the North Yorkshire Moors Railway provided the setting for the Hogwarts Express in the first film.

However, the railway will still be featured in the sequel, as the production team filmed the necessary footage when they were last at the location.

Alnwick Castle is the ancestral home to the Duke of Northumberland, and his spokesman, Philip Gregory, said there was a great sense of excitement around Alnwick in anticipation of yet another box-office blockbuster. He added: "Children have been asked to come forward for auditions, and from the castle's point of view this will undoubtedly be another huge coup for the whole town.

"It comes at the start of the tourist season, whereas the last film came just as things were winding down.

"The Philosopher's Stone generated massive interest in Alnwick, and the castle saw a significant increase in visitor figures."

Warner Bros is keen to keep the filming low key to avoid compromising the production but it confirmed that once again some big names would be on the cast list, including Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Dame Maggie Smith and, making his Harry Potter debut, Kenneth Branagh.

"The lead roles will be the same as in the first film, with Daniel playing Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron and Emma Watson as Hermione, but we don't want to give too much away at the moment," she said.

"We are, however, delighted to help out wherever we can and return to a place like north Northumberland, which has been badly hit economically over the past year."