It is not uncommon for a magician to ask his assistant to wear a blindfold, but quite unusual when the assistant is a duck. John Styles performs a series of magic tricks in his act in Vincent’s Christmas Wonderland, all effortlessly, a testimony to the wealth of experience that has led him to be honoured as a member of the Magic Inner Circle and President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians – British Ring.

John Styles is the leading authority and performer of Punch and Judy in this country, learning the skill as a boy. He has been honoured with an MBE from the Queen for his services to the arts, “especially Punch and Judy”. Obviously used to Mr Punch’s mischief, John takes no chances with the duck, insisting he wears the blindfold to help him with the card trick “So he can’t cheat”.