A TRICKSTER was treated to a magical meeting with two of the world’s most famous illusionists.

Resh Gohel, from Darwen, who is in two magic circles, was given the chance to talk with his idols David Blaine and Derren Brown at a convention – and even performed tricks for them.

The 37-year-old said he was amazed to meet the men who had inspired him to get into magic himself.

Father-of-two Resh, who also runs Resh’s Restaurant in Blackburn Road, said: “It was incredible to meet them.

“I talked to Derren Brown about how he inspired me and helped me on my journey to become a magician through his DVDs.

“He said he was really overwhelmed by that and that he thought I was lovely towards him.”

“I also talked to David Blain about magic and how if it was not for him, I probably would not be doing what I am doing now.”

Derren Brown is a British illusionist who is known for his appearances in television specials, stage productions, and television series such as Trick of the Mind.

American magician David Blaine is most famous for stunts including spending 44 days in a transparent box suspended nine metres above in the air in London and standing on a 100ft high, 22ins wide pillar in New York for 35 hours.

He has performed all over the world and has set and broken several world records.

Resh, who specialises in ‘close-up’ magic, said he often performed at weddings and corporate events, but that he was looking to leave his restaurant to concentrate on performing full-time.

The martial arts enthusiast, of Moor Close, said: “I have always just been fixated by magic.”

“The main thing I love about it is that everybody has problems in their lives, but when you perform to somebody and do something that wows them, they forget about them.

“You know for a fact that they are bamboozled and that they have forgotten about everything else. Nothing else matters for those few minutes.

“I nearly never tell people how I do my tricks, but I do sometimes share little secrets to keep people interested. You have to keep the magic alive.”