by Alex Claridge

aclaridge@thekmgroup.co.uk

A world-renowned street magician has vowed never to perform in Canterbury again after a street warden warned him he would be littering if a card fell to the ground.

Ken Lightfoot's finale involves him hurling a normal playing card on to the roof of a building up to 80ft away.

But after a show in the Longmarket on Tuesday, Ken was approached by a city council employee who told him that if the playing card was to drop off the building he would technically be littering.

A dejected looking Ken - who has weaved his street magic as far away as Tasmania - walked away saying it would be the last time he played here.

Brian Thompson, who runs the mobile phone trailer in St George's Street, witnessed the entire incident.

The 54-year-old said: "I asked Ken what was going on. He told me that he was told that he could not throw the card but could do the rest of the act, but the finale is an integral part of the act and was what everyone was waiting for.

"I then suggested to the warden that he would be better employed tackling school kids throwing away masses of food wrappers.

"The more I thought about it last night the more it angered me.

"The guy is a professional street entertainer who brought hours of delight not only to the people of Canterbury but to the masses of tourists here at this time of year. It costs Canterbury City Council nothing for this entertainment but brings so much to the city."

Brian, who lives in Herne Bay, says Ken usually performs until 4pm when he is in Canterbury. But on Tuesday, Ken finished his act at 11.45am.

"Ken is a professional and seemed to take it on the chin but he said that this was the first time in his long career that he had been warned about this", Brian said.

"He walked off looking a little bit dejected and maybe even embarrassed. It is a massive loss for Canterbury."

A senior council officer has defended the authority's decision to admonish Ken Lightfoot.

Larissa Laing, head of housing, community safety and environment services, said: "The council's street scene inspector spoke to Mr Lightfoot to advise him that if he causes litter as part of his act, he is just as liable to receive a fine for littering as anyone else. He was not asked to leave and no caution or fine was issued."