London, Nov 10 (ANI): The Harry Potter novels have topped the list of UK's most re-read books.

JK Rowling's best-seller series even beat The Bible, which landed the 16th place in the Costa Book Awards' annual survey of re-readable books.

The boy wizard tales fended off competition from JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, which came second and third respectively.

More than 2,000 people were quizzed to find the UK's 20 most re-read books, with Tolkien's The Hobbit, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bront‚ and George Orwell's 1984 following next on the list.

The top 20 list displays a wide range of beliefs, especially so on religion, with Dan Brown's controversial The Da Vinci Code coming seventh.

'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bront‚ and Joseph Heller's 'Catch 22' were also among those named favourites to return to, reports the Mirror.

The survey also showed that almost 80 per cent of readers like a book so much the first time that they read it again.

Agent Simon Trewin said that readers want "instant gratification". (ANI)