SCREEN stars from the Harry Potter movie franchise have brought a touch of magic to the campaign to help save the life of a Belbroughton schoolboy.

Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the blockbuster films, and his actress girlfriend Georgia Groome have had swabs taken and signed up to be potential stem cell donors through dkms.org.uk after hearing about Hagley Primary School pupil Finley Hill and how a transplant could save his life.

Movie star Grint also sent the schoolboy a signed Harry Potter book, saying: "To Finn the Fabulous, wishing you all the magic in the world."

Actor James Phelps, who starred in the Harry Potter movies as Fred Weasley, also requested a swab kit online from blood cancer charity DKMS to sign up to the register after hearing about Finley, aged seven, who is battling a rare immune system disorder familial HLH, which results in damaged and enlarged organs, and his brother Oliver (George Weasley) also urged Twitter followers to sign up to the register.

Jo Hill, Finley’s mum, said life may have dealt Finley a brutal blow but she added: “He is getting to do the most amazing things and share in fabulous experiences.”

She said Harry Potter fan Finley was "super excited" to receive the signed book and she thanked everyone who has taken the youngster to their hearts “to try to make life that little bit more fabulous for him”.

Finley, together with his mum Jo and dad Paul Hill, also appeared on the sofa on This Morning yesterday (Tuesday) with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby – and TV presenter Holly also had swabs done and signed up to the stem cell register, as did many of the show’s crew including producer Natalie Edwards who said: “All it takes is five minutes to potentially give someone so many more years of life.”

Finley's mum Jo said: "We were so lucky to get the opportunity to spread awareness on that kind of platform. Everyone at This Morning was so nice - and within four hours of the show finishing 6,000 people had signed up to join the register."

Following the lead of Finley's school Hagley Primary School, which held a stem cell drive for the schoolboy last month, Old Swinford Hospital school will also be hosting a donor drive for Finley next Wednesday (June 26) and DKMS representatives will also be at Oldswinford Primary School's summer fair on Saturday June 29 from midday to 3.30pm to take swabs from the cheeks of potential donors.

Charity reps will also be at Halesowen Carnival, in Highfield Park, where Finley will be guest of honour.

Carnival chairman Stuart Henley said the schoolboy will be treated like Royalty for the day on Saturday July 6 as the event's VIP and he hopes people will turn out in force to sign up to be potential lifesavers at the fun day which runs from midday to 8pm.

Borough businesses are also being sought to host stem cell drives at their workplaces.

Family friend Natalie Price said: “We are looking for companies who would be willing to host a small stand, for example in a staff room/meeting room etc, where we could give their employees the opportunity to take a quick cheek swab test and register for the opportunity to save a life.”

Any businesses interested in helping out can get in touch via the Facebook.com/FinnTheFabulous site.

Only two per cent of people in the UK are currently on the stem cell register but Finley's mum and dad say cells can, in the majority of cases, be donated as easily as blood. In a small number of cases a small operation is required.

Anyone aged 18 to 55 and in general good health (weighing above 7 stone 12lbs and with a BMI of below 40) can register to be a donor.

Those on the register remain on standby to be matched to anyone in need of a stem cell donation until their 61st birthday.