The Dark Materials trilogy has outsold each of the Harry Potters

The appearance by the Oxford novelist at his local Waterstone's will be his only public event to promote his latest book, Lyra's Oxford.

Devotees travelled from as far as Middlesbrough, Liverpool and south Wales, many queuing for more than three hours to meet their hero.

Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy has sold more than each of the four Harry Potter books and is the best-selling book on the BBC's Big Read list.

His last book, The Amber Spyglass, was the first children's book to win the Whitbread Prize in 2002.

The signing in Oxford is the only planned for the latest book

The author said: "It is great to come to these signings when there are so many people and such a wide range of people.

"The books seem to appeal to all sorts."

Mark Wilson, who travelled to the signing from London, said: "I am a huge fan of the books because they are so creative.

"It has been great to meet the man behind so many exciting stories."

Fellow fan Angela Johns, a writer from Oxford, said: "I would love to be as successful as Philip Pullman. He has been my inspiration."