A Halfway magician says his career has taken off in the last year after performing for celebrities including Peter Andre and working on a cruise ship.

Matty Evans has been performing since 2001 but his love of illusions goes back to when he was a young boy.

“I had the Paul Daniels and Marvin’s Magic sets as a kid, as you do,” he said. “Obviously it just grew from there.

“I had lessons from a full-time working pro and then I joined a magic society and met other magicians.”

More recently the 37-year-old’s talents saw him hired twice by the Mysterious Girl singer.

He was booked for the opening of Andre’s coffee shop in East Grinstead two months ago and last year he went to his brother’s engagement party, where he also met Anthony Costa from Blue and former EastEnders’ actress Cheryl Fergison, who later praised Mr Evans’ act on Twitter.

Mr Evans has a variation of tricks up his sleeve including close-up magic using cards and borrowed objects.

He wowed Andre by getting his fiancee’s engagement ring to disappear and reappear on a set of car keys.

He said: “He’s a lovely guy. How he is exactly the same as he comes across on TV.”

The Holmside Avenue resident gets a “buzz” from seeing people’s reactions, especially when they are sceptical to begin with.

He has performed at the Harps Tavern and the Halfway House on the Island but it was Merlin’s Entertainment Complex in Leysdown that gave him his first gigs and he still goes back for cabaret nights and Christmas parties. Things have only recently started to happen for the dad-of-one who spent Christmas working on a Saga cruise ship.

He said: “The last year for me has been more than I could have even hoped for. If you would have asked me two years ago I was plodding along doing what I was doing.

“But by doing bits and pieces and getting my name out there through social media and word of mouth, entering showcases, things have definitely taken off for me.”