A LATCHFORD magician and his daughter will see their first book hit the shelves in June after a New York publisher spotted their magic lessons online.

Ken Kelly, 48, has worked as a magician since he was 18 years old and his daughter Kristen, 12, won Warrington’s Got Talent in 2010 for her conjuring tricks.

Together they have created Youtube videos to teach magic to children and were spotted by New York publisher, Sky Pony Press, who asked them to write a book.

“It all happened by chance, it’s a very long process. It’s been surreal – especially because I’m dyslexic,” said Ken.

“It’s just been amazing for our great love of magic, I think there’s very little available for people to learn magic tricks now. There’s nothing that teaches the real performance values.”

Ken, who was born in Warrington but moved to South Africa at the age of six and returned to Latchford ten years ago, had a successful career as a kid’s television presenter and entertainer.

After leaving school in South Africa, Ken was conscripted into the army where he took up a role in entertainment.

He said: “It wasn’t a war I wanted to be in but I went round entertaining people – sometimes I went up to the front lines and entertained the troops that were there.”

After he finished serving, he presented magic shows and worked as a script writer for South Africa’s popular television network KTV.

“It has just been the most rewarding career, it’s been so rich – the travel and the people I have met," he said.

"If we can inspire one person it will have been a pleasure – magic opens so many doors.”

Ken and his wife, Colette, now run a children’s entertainment business as well as a website teaching magic tricks.

He said the book was a real ‘family project’, with Kristen demonstrating the magic tricks while Colette took the photographs.

“The book is a multimedia experience. You have the description of the magic trick that you can make and do – some with household items like cereal boxes,” he said.

“You can scan the code in the book and watch a video online of how to do the trick.

“It’s very surreal to see the physical book and Kristen is over the moon – she is a published author at 12 years old!”

Ken hopes to inspire kids and their parents to try magic with the book.

He said: “Even as a hobby I feel it is fun and a great confidence boost.

“Magic has been a blessing, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Abracadabra!: Fun Magic Tricks for Kids by Kristen Kelly and Ken Kelly is out on June 21 and for more information visit magictricksforkids.org.