SOLDIER Clive Fawcett has got a trick or two up his sleeve to keep up morale when he joins British troops preparing for war in the Gulf.

The father-of-three combines his career in the Royal Logistics Corps with membership of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

And in addition to the usual kit bag the warrant officer will be taking a box of tricks to keep the troops entertained.

But today Clive admitted that he wished his magic "powers" extended far enough to making the threat of conflict disappear into thin air.

Clive, 37, moved to Darwen last month after seven years in Germany and will fly to the Gulf with the Royal Logistics Core on Thursday.

As an eight-year-old boy, he entertained guests at the hotel his parents ran in Blackpool and toured neighbouring hotels with his act.

As he grew, so did the number of illusions he could perform and he can now show off the same sets as giants of the magic world David Copperfield and David Blaine.

He said: "All of the tricks they perform I can do too, but obviously I don't have their budget.

"When I do children's shows I do the whole range of illusions which includes favourites like levitation and sawing people in half.

"I don't have a glamourous assistant though as I rely on audience participation."

When Clive, who lives with his wife Diane and children Daniel, 12, Chelsea, ten, and Louis, seven, flies to the Gulf he will be taking less spectacular illusions with him. He said: "I do things like table magic for the adults which is made up of sleight of hand illusions, such as card tricks.

"It's popular and it certainly helps to entertain the lads and it keeps morale among everyone high.

"The one thing I can't do though is magic up world peace, which believe me I would if I could." Clive, who has been in the army for 18 years has been a magician for 20 years and is a fully paid up member of the Brotherhood, which is interlinked with the Magic Circle.

He has performed his children's Hocus Pocus Show for British Forces communities in Kosovo, Bosnia and throughout Germany. Each show has helped to raise funds for various charities including the NSPCC and Clive hopes to raise funds back in Darwen when he returns.

Any schools or community organisations which would like him to perform while raising funds for charity can e-mail him on clivefawcett@hotmail.com