TV MAGICIAN Paul Daniels pulled a rabbit out of a hat and turned up at a church hall to celebrate a magic group's 90th birthday.

And what did he charge? Not a lot - in fact, nothing at all!

The magic man famous for starring in 15 series on BBC1 made time in his busy schedule to perform at last night's meeting of Blackburn's Modern Mystic League - one of the oldest magic societies in the country.

And during a question and answer session, he advised members from throughout East Lancashire, never to work with rabbits or doves. He said rabbits were impossible to work with and his lack of height prevented him prancing and posing with doves, as shapely magicians' assistants do.

As the group's honorary president, he entertained members, family and friends at St Silas' Church parish centre, Blackburn.

He said: "East Lancashire was the first area where I began working four nights a week. Audiences were good here. Sunderland is the hardest place I've worked, and that's not because I'm from Middlesbrough. One Sunderland club used to have gravestones drawn on the walls, showing how many acts had died there!"

Mystic league member Brian Lead, who is a Blackburn school teacher, said: "It's great to have Paul here. We asked him to become our honorary president a few years ago, but he's that busy he's never managed to attend our events. However, he made a special effort tonight, because of our 90th anniversary.

"He must probably have had more impact than any other magician in the last 20 years."

The Modern Mystic League is the country's fourth oldest magic society, said Mr Lead. Its 40 members range from teenagers to those aged in their 80s. The longest-serving member is Jack Ledwick, of Wilpshire, who joined the league in 1939, just before the Second World War began.