The girl who's cast a spell on Harry

As the boy who plays Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe is constantly attended by hairdressers and make-up artists.

And one in particular seems to have caught his eye.

Over the past year, the 16-year old actor has grown close to a trainee hairdresser seven years his senior.

She is Irish-born Amy Byrne, a 23-year-old brunette.

The couple met in the summer of 2004 during filming of the fourth movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Since then they have regularly visited each other's homes and been on dates together.

After filming finished they remained in touch even though Radcliffe has been on a punishing press schedule to promote Goblet of Fire in London while Miss Byrne has flown off to work as a hairstylist and make-up artist on a Turkish movie set.

She will remain there for the next month working on a film version of Turkey's most popular soap opera. Friends say Radcliffe and Miss Byrne spend hours on the phone to each other and are constantly exchanging text messages.

Miss Byrne rents a room in a small semi- detached house in Watford, close to Hertfordshire's Leavesden Studios where much of the latest Potter film was shot.

It would seem strange for Radcliffe, who lives with his parents in Fulham, to make an hour's journey just to get his hair and make-up done there.

But this, according to her landlord Douglas Jackson, is precisely the excuse she has given for the young star's regular visits. Mr Jackson said: 'Daniel has called round on a number of occasions. Amy says it is so she can help him get dressed.

'She does his hair and make-up before he goes to various publicity events in London. They are very close friends. As to whether there's a relationship, I have no knowledge of that.'

In Goblet of Fire, which has its world premiere in London next Sunday and is released on November 18, Harry and his friends have finally acknowledged the existence of feelings for the opposite sex. Harry has a dance scene with Parvati Patil, played by Shefali Chowdhury.

Last week Radcliffe described Shefali as 'completely gorgeous', admitted that he had already had a girlfriend, and added that he would not be averse to a night out with Hollywood actresses Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.

His publicist Vanessa Davies said last night: 'Yes, Daniel and Amy are good friends. Daniel has many friends. There is no more to it than a friendship. Daniel is a very social person and he goes round to people's houses a lot.'