Stuart Cassels elected President of The Order of The Magi

Stuart Cassels with retiring President Alan Johnston

Magician Stuart Cassels, of Queensway Rochdale, has been elected President of The Order of The Magi for the year 2017/2018.

Mr Cassels received the chain of office from retiring president, Alan Johnston, who is also from Rochdale.

Born in Cheltenham - the home town of one of the most famous magicians John Nevil Maskelyne - Mr Cassels developed an interest in magic at an early age. As a youngster he was hugely influenced by the now late Paul Daniels television shows of the 70s and 80s.

At the age of 13 he was shortlisted for the BBC TV series Going Live talent competition.

Under his stage name of Harrizon, he has presented comedy hypnosis shows, being a qualified hypnotherapist.

Mr Cassels explains why he enjoys magic "immensely" - he said: "The friendship that can be shared with fellow magicians sharing a common interest; reading old books on magic and developing new routines from existing methods; performing to an audience and seeing the emotions that magic can create from shock to laughter."

Formed in 1909, The Order of The Magi was originally created as a meeting group for magicians in Manchester as the only other known magic society in the country was The Magic Circle in London formed in 1905, anmd to meet in London was expensive and a long and very time consuming train journey each way.

Since those early days, it has served magicians well and now welcomes bone fide members from anywhere.

With television promoting magic with shows like Britain’s Got Talent, The Next Great Magician, Dynamo, Troy and David Blaine, magic is as popular today as it was at the beginning, 2,000 years ago.