The front covers of JK Rowling's eagerly-awaited seventh and final Harry Potter book have been revealed.

Bloomsbury Publishing, Rowling's UK publisher, has unveiled the cover designs for the book.

But they provide few clues as to what will happen, although Rowling has already confirmed that two of her characters die.

The cover for the children's edition features a grownup looking Harry, Hermione and Ron, while the adult version of the book has a photograph of a locket bearing a serpentine "S".

The book, titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be released in the UK on July 21.

The covers will be used throughout the world excluding the US when the book goes on sale this summer.

Scholastic also released their front and back covers for the US edition of the book.

David Saylor, Scholastic's vice president, said: "The front cover of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows features a dramatic sky of oranges and golds.

"It depicts 17-year-old Harry with arm outstretched, reaching upward.

"The structures around Harry show evident destruction and in the shadows behind him, we see outlines of other people.

JK Rowling: "I always knew that Harry's story would end with the seventh book, but saying goodbye has been just as hard as I always knew it would be."

"For the first time the cover is a wrap-around. On the back cover spidery hands are outstretched towards Harry.

"Only when the book is opened does one see a powerful image of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, his glowing red eyes peering out from his hood."

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Rowling's sixth Harry Potter book, was released in July 2005.

It became the fastest-selling book in history, selling 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours.

All six Harry Potter books have been number one bestsellers in the US, the UK and around the world.

There are currently over 120 million copies of the Harry Potter books in print in the US alone.

The books, which have been translated into 63 languages, follow the story of a boy wizard and his two school friends as they investigate magical mysteries.

Rowling, who has earned an estimated £500m from her creation, said she was sad that Harry’s adventures were coming to an end.

"I always knew that Harry's story would end with the seventh book, but saying goodbye has been just as hard as I always knew it would be," she says on her website.

"I can hardly believe that I've finally written the ending I've been planning for so many years.

"I've never felt such a mixture of extreme emotions in my life, never dreamed I could feel simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric.

"One thing has stopped me collapsing in a puddle of misery on the floor. While each of the previous Potter books has strong claims on my affections, Deathly Hallows is my favourite and that is the most wonderful way to finish the series."

The article Cover to new Potter book unveiled originally appeared on 999 Today