Harry Potter's 'flying' car taken

The car is given magic powers triggered by a silver button

The "flying" Ford Anglia used in the Harry Potter films has been stolen from studios in Cornwall.

Police said the rusting Ford Anglia, registration 7990 TD, went missing from the South West Film Studios in St Agnes on Wednesday night.

The car, which could not have been driven, could be seen from the road.

Police suspect a Harry Potter fan, or a classic car enthusiast, sneaked into the studio site with a trailer to remove the car.

The turquoise 1962 Ford Anglia was being stored at the St Agnes studios, which went into receivership last year.

A spokesman for official receivers Begbies Traynor said: ''No other props from the film were left here, just the car.

''It was being stored while a buyer was found for it. That's all we know."

The car was stored at the studios

In the books, the car is imbued with magical powers by Arthur Weasley from the Ministry of Magic and used by his son Ron and Harry who are schoolmates at Hogwarts.

The car's magical properties are triggered by a silver button on its dashboard and as well as flying it has a Tardis-like expanding interior.

Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman Pc Baxter Provan said the car was stolen from the film studios at Penwinnick Road in St Agnes between 1730 BST on 26 October and 1615 BST on 27 October.

"For those who have not seen the Harry Potter films, this is the car that flies in the movie and is very well known," he said.

"It is believed that the vehicle could not have been driven therefore it is suspected that it would have to have been towed or lifted from the scene."

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth film to be adapted from the series, hits cinemas on 18 November.