IT WAS a bittersweet farewell for many as the last of the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series was launched as the clock struck 12.

Waterstone’s in Broad Street opened its doors at 11.30pm on Wednesday for its first midnight book launch since Harry Potter.

Costumed staff members and about 20 customers gathered in the third-floor café for the countdown to the launch of The Shepherd’s Crown, the 41st and final novel in the cult fantasy series.

Dani Jervis, 23, head of the children’s section at the Oxford branch, who played Death at the event, said: “It has gone really well.

“The thing I like about Discworld is that you can read them in order, or start with a character arc, or at random. They’re accessible to all.”

Sir Terry died aged 66 in March after suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

More than 85 million books of his books have been sold worldwide, in 37 languages.

The Shepherd’s Crown is the fifth Discworld title to feature young witch Tiffany Aching and was completed in summer 2014.