CHILDREN and grown-ups alike are waiting with bated breath to see if the mega-hyped Harry Potter film leaves them spellbound.

With its promise to coax even the most cobwebbed-covered imagination out of its dingy hole, it's no wonder the accompanying merchandise is set to be a sell-out.

Warner Bros' epic fantasy, due to be unleashed at cinemas on Friday, November 16, has prompted toy experts everywhere to put their money on a Harry frenzy in the run up to December 25.

Tipped to top them all is Harry Potter Lego.Youngsters can build the mysterious Hogwarts Castle, Hogwarts Express Train, Harry's classroom, the forbidden corridor and other parts of the budding wizard's world.

For children it will be magical, but for parents it could mean toil and trouble, with a few curses on Harry Potter himself by the time Christmas arrives.

Gifts are predicted to fly off the shelves and mums and dads could once again be left scrambling to find the present their child so desperately wants.

Festive seasons past brought the Furby furore and the Buzz Lightyear battle, reducing some parents to queuing overnight to get their hands on that must-have toy.

Last year, the Thunderbirds' Tracy Island was the surprise best-seller.

Marcello Rossi, a member of the British Association of Toy Retailers and operator of three Toymaster stores, said Harry Potter Lego, which would particularly appeal to children under 10, would cause the same problem.

I think it will become an issue in December, he said.

Aside from all things Potter, Marcello Rossi predicts a few other intriguing hits.

He believes many will be asking for the Candy Floss Machine, which creates candy floss in 30 seconds .

Jon Salisbury, publisher of industry magazine ToyNews and founder of the UK Toy and Game Council, also dubbed it a winner.

Last year in America it sold millions when it came out, he said.

It's such a simple piece of machinery. Where have you ever been able to get candyfloss before, except at the fun fair?"

The bad news, though, is that General Creation the company which imports the Candy Floss Machine is already anticipating supply problems.

It is reported to have bought around 260,000 of the Chinese-made machines but orders have topped 350,000.

Another widely-tipped top toy is the pogo stick, which has come bouncing back into fashion after its appearance on television show Big Brother.

Thunderbirds toys, first popular in the 60s, are also GO!, as is the old favourite Captain Scarlet, whose electronic SPV vehicle could also soon be in short supply.

However, the product predicted to outsell all contenders, even Harry Potter Lego, is the Nintendo Game Boy Advance.

Although some in the industry class it as an electronic product, many parents and children see it as a toy, said Jon Salisbury.

It's going to represent a huge chunk of consumer money this Christmas.

After all, it is not just kids who will be pleading for the new handheld console no doubt it will be on plenty of grown-ups' wish list too.