In the run up to Hop tu Naa, the time of the year when mystery and trickery are the rule of the day, there was fitting display of magic and wonderment in Peel.

The Magicians of Mann held its annual grand concert at the Peel Centenary Centre, complete with seven local performers, all trying to be named the Magician of Mann for 2020.

A sold-out audience saw Juan Corrin be named as the island’s premier trickster, reclaiming a trophy he has previously held, with a classy display of close-up card tricks and a brilliant recreation of the classic ’glass-and-bottle’ trick, made famous by Tommy Cooper.

The judges were faced with a tricky decision, as the other six magicians on the bill also amazed and stupefied in equal measure, showing of a variation of styles and skills.

John Cain amazed the crowd by jabbing a sword into a whirling mass of cards to pick out one chosen by an audience member, before inviting another on stage to help him levitate a table.

Michael Kelly brought out a slightly unhinged and macabre routine based around a serial killer clown, followed by a trick based around the haunted pool of a witch, and Mike Daniels stunned the crowd with the outwardly simple trick of joining solid rings together.

Rosalie Beaumont joined her son Giles for two routines of slick, well rehearsed routines, with Giles’ popular trick of a card-reading dragon left guests amazed.

The evening was opened by Chris Burns, better known as Cookie the Clown, who entertained all with a display of comic magic and juggling. His attempt to decapitate an audience member thankfully came unstuck, thanks to a faulty guillotine.

The evening was rounded off by reigning champion Paul Martin, who relinquished his title with a brilliant trick involving the guessing of a sequence of lottery numbers.