It was enough to bring Britain�s richest author to the verge of tears during a court appearance earlier this year. However a new version of the Harry Potter encyclopaedia which so upset JK Rowling is about to go on sale in the UK.

It was enough to bring Britain's richest author to the verge of tears during a court appearance earlier this year.

However a new version of the Harry Potter encyclopaedia which so upset JK Rowling is about to go on sale in the UK.

Rowling, 43, took author Steve Vander Ark to court over the 400-page Lexicon which she said constituted "wholesale theft of 17 years of my hard work".

A federal judge in New York ruled in her favour over the copyright-infringement lawsuit in September, blocking the publication of the reference guide. However Mr Vander Ark and his publisher, RDR Books, will now print a revised edition. Mr Vander Ark said he spent months working on the new version, which he believes meets specifications laid out in the ruling by US District Judge Robert P Patterson.

"We learned a lot at the trial about what was acceptable, what would follow the fair use guidelines," said Mr Vander Ark. "That was not clear before. There was no law on the books that made it clear what was acceptable and what wasn't. So, coming out of the trial, I had a much better idea of what should go into the book."

During the trial Ms Rowling said: "These characters meant so much to me, and continue to mean so much to me, over such a long period of time. It's very difficult for someone who is not a writer to understand. The closest I can come is to say to someone: How do you feel about your child?'"

The author went on: "I believe this book constitutes wholesale theft of 17 years of my hard work.

"It adds little if anything by way of commentary; the quality of that commentary is derisory; and it debases what I worked so hard to create."

Publisher Roger Rapoport said the biggest difference between the two versions was that the new one contains "a lot more critical commentary, which means more analysis". Plot spoilers have also been removed.

Neil Blair, a lawyer for Rowling's agent the Christopher Little Literary Agency, said: "We are delighted that this matter is finally and favourably resolved and that JK Rowling's rights have been protected."

The book goes on sale on January 16, priced £18.99.