Harry Potter Director Fights British Government  5/27/05

Director David Yate is fighting the British government for permission to film a high-speed broomstick chase along London's River Thames, for movie sequel Harry Potter and  the Order of the Phoenix.

Yates is determined to shoot a scene in which Daniel Radcliffe's boy wizard character flies past some of the capital's famous landmarks.

But he only has until September (05) to convince 17 different councils to allow the filming, and they are reluctant to co-operate at present.

He says, "So far we have spent a lot of time on boats on the Thames.

"I want to do a great big wizard chase past London landmarks and its going to be very exciting, but it has not been easy to set up.

"We need to secure the co-operation of 17 different councils, and some of them are doubtful at this stage.

"My location manager is going to spend the next four months trying to sort it all out - but we don't start shooting until the spring."