The magic of the Harry Potter universe is coming to Yorkshire after fans voted in their thousands for a gigantic display of magic wands to travel to the region as part of a UK tour.
A week-long light display will bring nine 15ft tall wands from the fantasy world of witches and wizards to Hull later this year.
Originally, they should have arrived in the city last November as part of the Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them launch, but the display was delayed by the pandemic.
Now, a new date has been confirmed creating excitement amongst Harry Potter stands across the region.
They will appear in Hull's Queen Victoria Square from 2 March as part of a week-long light show, accompanied by thrilling music from both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series.
Image: Wizarding World
Created in support of Harry Potter creator and author J K Rowling's Lumos Foundation, which works to reunite children in institutions with their families, the giant wands previously appeared in London in 2019.
Illuminated near St Paul's Cathedral, they lit up the walkway between the historic house of worship and Millennium Bridge every night from 6.45pm.
Now, they'll be coming to Hull as part of a new UK tour that will also take the glowing magic sticks to Birmingham, Stoke on Trent and Reading later this year.
Hull reportedly had more votes than any other city in the UK, and as such as been chosen as the first city for them to visit outside of London.
Image: Wizarding World
The wands' arrival has been timed to coincide with the launch of the newest Fantastic Beasts film, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which will land in cinemas on 8 April.
Towering up high at 15ft tall, they'll be held in place in concrete bases and light up the sky every night to create a magical spectacle that's sure to appeal to fans of all ages.
Polly Cochrane, Country Manager WarnerMedia UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted that this stunning installation will be touring for the first time next month and the magic will be shared with even more fans.
“Following a nationwide vote, it’s exciting to know that we’re bringing the wands to the biggest Wizarding World fans across the UK as we celebrate the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.”
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
Yorkshire-set Christmas film by Leeds director starring Richard E. Grant set to hit UK cinemas next month
Clementine Hall
A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.
Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.
His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.
Image: Supplied
Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.
Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.
Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...
And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Image: Supplied
The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.
You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.
Georgina Pellant -
9th February 2022 
