A Congleton magician is hoping to keep the towns younger generation entertained during the Coronavirus outbreak with a variety of online content.

Nick Barnes knew he had to adapt his approach after all his acts at shows, weddings, children's parties and trade shows over the next couple of months had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The idea to perform online came after a mum who had booked Mr Barnes for her child's birthday party left cancelling as late possible to give Nick every chance of putting on a show.

Nick told the mum that he would film an online magic show for her son on his birthday to ensure he wouldn't miss out.

After the success of the online show, Nick put feelers out on social media and the response was "unbelievable".

Mr Barnes uploaded his first magician video onto YouTube this morning and he is already targeting producing further content to keep children engaged and educated.

Nick told Nub News: "I am hoping to do a live stream tomorrow which will involve questions being asked about my first video and tie that in with the educational aspect.

"I would ask things like how many times I said a certain word during the show and ask the children to do a story about me and my co-star Sam the Sheepdog.

"It's all about capturing their imagination and making it fun whilst keeping their brains ticking."

Mr Barnes admitted that at first, producing a 20-minute video in front of no audience felt strange, but the only issue he encountered was ensuring that all the tricks were in shot.

Nick said that Katie Nuttall of Nimble Film Chick advised him on how to film and helped editing the video.

Mr Barnes is hoping to get as many as videos published during the lockdown, which will help parents keep their children entertained and help keep him sharp for future performances.

Nick, who has been performing for 21 years, added: "These videos could be a massive help for parents when they are making breakfast, dinner or tea.

"I love performing and these videos will tick all the boxes of what children want.

"Some parents have already told me that they will be using the videos for their child's birthday when they are celebrating together in the living room."

With the country craving a return to normality, Mr Barnes will be offering a discount on his midweek shows and birthday parties once the country has overcome the coronavirus outbreak.

To keep updated with Mr Barnes' shows and news please go to his Facebook page