BY day he holds down an everyday job as an animal nutritionist but by night he is man of mystery, leaving audiences perplexed and puzzled.

Nimmo Clarke, of Northallerton, has been helping put the magic back into Christmas and is proving a big hit at dinners, parties and conferences.

For the 54-year-old married father of two it is a far cry from his day job advising farmers on the most balanced food for their animals, something he has done for more than 30 years.

But if his popularity continues he may become a magician full time. It all began when, as a ten-year-old boy, he got a magic set for Christmas. He started learning tricks and began doing performances and was even featured on the Tyne Tees Television show Junior Showtime when he was 13.

He began with card tricks and progressed to tricks involving coins and other everyday objects. After spending years perfecting his art he joined the Middlesbrough Magic Circle in 2003. Now his focus has turned to psychological magic as demonstrated by the likes of Derren Brown.

He said: "It is all a case of getting back to basics with magic in its most raw and accessible format. It gives people the opportunity to see card tricks, vanishing coins and other illusions right in front of them.

"And I am delighted that it seems to be popular. It certainly offers that something a little bit different and I am glad it is bringing back a little bit of magic to Christmas.

"I have been doing it with family and friends for years but it is only recently I have branched out further. You never know, if it all goes well, I may even take it up full-time.

"There is nothing better than seeing the puzzlement on people’s faces when the magic unfolds before their eyes - and of course, I never explain how it is done. That is the mystery of it all."

Mr Clarke offered some advice to those interested in becoming a magician: "Practise and practise and practise - even if it’s a small thing. And perform as much as you can. Books are better than DVDs. If you get DVDs of other people you can end up performing like they perform - copy the tricks but not the style.

"Most people enjoy being fooled as long as it’s in the right way. You are not trying to make people look slow or foolish. It’s entertainment and people really enjoy it."