Shoppers stumped by magic

Kerry Wilkinson is stood in the centre of the Merry Hill Shopping Centre and money is magically appearing in her hand.

It may sound like a dream come true, but Kerry's eyes are wide with shock as the coins keep dropping into her palm – thanks to magician Craig Petty.

"This magic is amazing and you can't believe your eyes," says 30-year-old Kerry, from Tipton. "Craig had his sleeves rolled up but he was still able to get money to disappear from his hand and land in mine – I have no idea how he did it."

Ethan Mark, aged 43, from Wolverhampton and Craig Petty, 31, from Walsall run Magic4Hire where their aim is to bring magic usually only seen on television to the public.

Kerry says: "It is good that normal people can see this kind of magic and it is a fantastic type of entertainment because it gets your mind going.

"When you see it on television you think there has to be some kind of film trickery, but this time it was done right in front of us – we just couldn't believe our eyes."

Craig met Ethan around six years ago through the magic community and they decided to set up a business together.

Craig said: "I have been into magic since I was 18 when I worked at Butlins as a red coat. Magic shows helped me pay my way through university while the rest of my friends were in factory jobs.

"When I left university I went into magic professionally and now we travel all over the world."

Ethan said: "I enjoyed magic as a child and used to perform it for my family.

"I have three children and I wanted them to enjoy it as much as I used to, but I ended up getting hooked on it again.

"Very few people have seen close-up magic and we saw in America that magicians worked in restaurants and so we thought we would do the same in England."

Ethan and Craig entertain diners at The Broadway in Wednesfield; the Nickelodeon at Bentley Mill; Chiquitos in Dudley, Rubery, Wednesfield and Birmingham city centre; Frankie & Bennys in Selly Oak and Erdington; The Old House at Home in Birmingham; Fort Jester at Castle Bromwich and will soon be at Cafe Rouge in Birmingham. Jack Newman, 11, from Woodcross, near Sedgley, said he was stunned by Ethan's card tricks.

He said: "I would like to learn magic and maybe be a magician one day. My school friends would be very impressed if I could do some of those tricks."

Rachel Watkins, 19, and Sarah Fulton, 27, both from Wombourne, witnessed a trick involving string and disappearing rings. She said: "You always think magic shows on the television are staged so it was great to see it with my own eyes – but I still have no idea how it was done."

Rachel Hartill, 31, from Woodcross, near Sedgley, said she was stunned to see Ethan making money and cards magically appear.

"Even though I kept my eye on his hands, he still manage to perform the tricks," she says. Craig says people often believe the magic they see on television is done using film trickery.

"When they see it live they can't comprehend it and don't have an explanation for it," he says.

"We love the reaction we get and work very hard to make a trick look effortless – but it can take years to perfect a trick."