The "Harry Potter" series has beaten "The Da Vinci Code" in a survey of which books Britons most want to pass on to the next generation.

One in five people chose the JK Rowling series, allowing it to top the list ahead of Dan Brown's religious thriller, according to a survey for World Book Day.

The survey also revealed that books are still a popular gift as three in four adults gave a book as a present in the past year, with people in Scotland leading the way.

With an eye on this summer's World Cup, 29 percent of respondents said they would give England coach Fabio Capello "The Inside Story of England's 1966 World Cup Triumph," documenting the country's only success in the tournament.

Asked what book they would give to someone sharing a flat for the first time, 27 percent opted for the practical advice contained in celebrity chef Delia Smith's "How to Cheat at Cooking."