Young illusionist Matt Sparro was set the challenge of being chained and padlocked to a barber’s chair with just 70 seconds to escape.

The consequences of failure? A shaved head at the hands of Anna Linkman of Anna’s Barbershop in Boundary Road, Portslade.

Matt was successful in just 45 seconds while the padlock remained locked.

The money for the impressive feat went towards Southern FM’s Help a Local Child charity.

Speaking in 2006 Matt said: “They chained me up so hard it was hard to breath.

“I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to do it but I managed it in under 50 seconds.”

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Seven years later Matt has followed his passions and is plying his trade as close-up magician.

Described as a rare breed of magician focusing on fresh, cool and stunning magic Matt’s career began at just 18 years old.

He came to magic relatively late but was wowed by Derren Brown’s act ten years ago on television.

Matt has since been out to Las Vegas and met another hero David Copperfield.

Speaking this year he said: “I’ve been doing it for 10 years now.

“I still live in the area and still get my haircuts at Anna’s Barbershop.

“I describe myself as a modernday magician. I’m not like Paul Daniels with waist coat and a rabbit in a hat.

“I do things with technology and iPhones for my magic.

“I like to show people futuristic tricks that they haven’t seen before “People are so busy in this day and age with the internet that if you don’t grab their attention straight away, people aren’t interested “I want people to leave going leaving ‘wow’ and remember it for years.”

He specialises in coin, card and mental miracles, some of which have never been seen before, as he spends time creating and developing new ideas and techniques.

Last year he did a trick for Samsung which gained an amazing million hits on YouTube.

As member of The Sussex Magic Circle, Matt often hosts and performs on club nights and he quickly became one of the youngest-ever council members in the club’s history.

In 2007 Matt was invited to perform for BBC’s Children in Need and has appeared in national newspapers performing tricks several times.

The award-winning entertainer has won countless Magic Circle awards over the years, including the Magic of the Mind Competition in 2006/2007, and various Card Competitions.