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Magician's lucky escape from stray rocket
CHILDREN at a Sheffield magician's Bonfire Night party thought he had a new trick up his sleeve when his box of props exploded...only to discover it had been hit by a stray rocket.
Tony Turner, known to youngsters as Barney Baloney, was hoping to entertain his kids and their friends with a magic show before setting off fireworks.
But a rogue rocket launched in his neighbourhood ruined his plans when it landed right in his box of tricks.
The firework exploded with such a bang it shattered his outside light, plunging his garden into darkness, and his magician's trunk began burning at the same time.
The freak accident destroyed the storage trunk, puppets and props which could cost the magician around 400 to replace.
Tony, aged 49, of Briarfield Crescent, Gleadless Valley, said: "The kids thought it was a new trick at first but it was just a one-in a-million freak accident.
"Just as I was about to start the show a rocket landed in my magic box and blew up all the magic. I still can't believe it - all my puppets have been burned and props I have mounted up over the years have been destroyed.
"I had wanted to start my firework display with something different - an LED lighting display - but this is something I would never have expected.
"We are just counting our lucky stars it was the box that was hit rather than anyone in the garden. It's bad enough I lost the magic box but somebody could have been hurt."
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
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Light snow
Temperature: -2 C to 1 C
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