Toni Preece was the first person to get a copy

Neil McEwan, managing director of Warner Home Video said: "We are delighted that Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has officially become the fastest selling video and DVD ever in UK history.

"The demand has been unprecedented and the results have exceeded all our expectations."

An estimated 250 people packed HMV's West End store in Oxford Street, which opened at midnight to sell the first copy.

Toni Preece, 31, from Eltham, south east London, received a presentation plaque after she queued for 15 hours to become the first person to buy the video and DVD.

Successful

All of Tesco's 24-hour shops and 58 Asda superstores also came under Potter's spell.

Asda stores displayed a special Hogwart's Express cashdesk between checkouts nine and 10, a reference to platform nine-and-three-quarters at King's Cross station where the film's namesake, Harry, catches the train to Hogwart's School.

Tens of thousands of fans have already ordered their copy of the hit film over the Internet, with online retailer Amazon.co.uk taking a record 36,000 pre-orders.

The Harry Potter film took a massive �64m in the UK and $317m (�216.6m) in the US, making it one of the top grossing movies of all time.

The second big screen adaptation of JK Rowling's wizard series, The Chamber of Secrets, is due for release later this year.