Covid 19 coronavirus: Daniel Radcliffe reads first Harry Potter chapter to children, other celebrities to follow

Harry Potter fans rejoice! Children of all ages can now enjoy the much-loved classic read by very special guests, beginning with Harry himself - Daniel Radcliffe.

The stars will read from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in a series released weekly online.

David Beckham, Dakota Fanning and Stephen Fry are among the stars who will join in to tell the story, which will be available on the Harry Potter website and on Spotify.

The initiative is part of Harry Potter at Home, a website that offers quizzes, games and other activities.

"The teachers, parents and carers working to keep children's lives as normal and happy as possible while we're all on lockdown deserve a bit of magic," Rowling said when the site launched.

"I hope these initiatives will give children and even adults a happy distraction during their enforced stay-at-home time."

The website states: "Welcome to the Harry Potter At Home hub where you'll find all the latest magical treats to keep you occupied - including special contributions from Bloomsbury and Scholastic, nifty magical craft videos, fun articles, quizzes, puzzles and plenty more for first-time readers, as well as those already familiar with the wizarding world.

"We're casting a Banishing Charm on boredom!"

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website