Exorcists advised a Nashville school priest to ban the Harry Potter books, over fears the popular children's novels could be used to summon spirits.

Reverend Dan Reehil contacted exorcists in Rome and the US, who recommended removing the fantasy novels from St. Edward Catholic School's library in Tennessee.

Launched in 1997, the series of books spins an epic tale focused on the adventures of the eponymous bespectacled young wizard.

"The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text," the reverend said in an email.

Rebecca Hammel, the superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, said The Tennessean that Reehil had "canonical authority to make such decisions."

Although the school used to stock the books, it will not offer them to pupils in its newly opened library, Hammel said.

AFP