ONE group of young students took part in attempting the world’s largest reading lesson.

Year 7 pupils from Southend High School for Girls took on the challenge on Friday as part of the National Book Day World Record attempt at the World’s Largest Reading Lesson.

Thirty students from Southend based junior schools- Hamstel Junior School, Temple Sutton Junior School and Thorpe Greenways Junior School- joined 170 of the Year 7 students to listen to a reading from the Deathly Hollows.

Dressed up in their Harry Potter outfits, they sat and listened to english teacher Tim Andrews start and then three Year 8 students carry on.

Over 75 schools nationwide took part on the day, which saw students and teachers reading aloud, attempting to beat the record of 509.

Karen Midwinter, a teacher at the school who helped organised the event said: "All the children were very excited and listened beautifully. It was so silent you could have heard a pin drop."

The attempt was filmed and will now be sent to the Guinness World Records as evidence of their attempt.

Following the Harry Potter theme, every student left with a wand and a certificate.