The publisher of the Harry Potter DVD boxset  books has denied allegations that JK Rowling copied another author when she wrote the fourth instalment of her best-selling series.
Bloomsbury Publishing hit back after the estate of Adrian Jacobs, a children's writer who died "penniless" in 1997, launched a legal action over alleged copyright infringement.
The company said in a statement the allegatations of plagiarism were "unfounded, unsubstantiated and untrue".
It added: "This claim is without merit and will be defended vigorously."
Jacobs' estate claimed Ms Rowling copied "substantial parts" of The Adventures Of Willy The Wizard - No 1 Livid Land, which Mr Jacobs wrote in 1987, when she penned Harry Potter season 7 DVD box set And The Goblet Of Fire.
Elements of the plot were also plagiarised, including a wizard contest, and the idea of wizards travelling on trains was borrowed, according to the allegations.
The publisher said: "Willy the Wizard is a very insubstantial booklet running to 36 pages which had very limited distribution.
"The central character of Willy the Wizard is not a young wizard and the book does not revolve around a wizard school."
The plagiarism claim was first made in 2004 by solicitors acting on behalf of Mr Jacobs' son.