A NEWLY-FORMED magicians’ club showed off its skills to the public for the first time at a variety show in Bulwark last week.

The Magicians of Chepstow group, which has eight members, was brought together by Arnold Paul and performed in front of 100 people at the Severn Bridge Social Club on Friday evening.

Mr Paul is a member of a Cardiff magic club but set up the society for people in Gwent so they could meet up more locally. The group has members from Caldicot, Chepstow and Newport.

Mr Paul, 62, whose stage name is Arnold de Paul, took up performing magic later in life but eventually gave up a job in a brewery to dedicate himself full-time to the art.

Chairman of the group, Mark Hay, said he thanked everyone who had performed and helped out at the night and all the volunteers who took part.