A LYDNEY businessman has paid tribute to the late magician Paul Daniels.

The national icon, who died last Thursday aged 77 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, visited the town with his wife, Debbie McGee, in 2012.

Cllr James Bevan (Con, Lydney East) welcomed the entertainer to put his ‘magic touch’ on his Classic Lomax 223 which he hand-built at his home in Highfield Lane.

Mr Daniels and his wife posed for a picture with the car in Newerne Street car park.

Mr Bevan said: “The visit came about by my partner, Jacky, whose daughter Bex Colwell, the well-known London-based entertainment publicist, arranged the charity fundraising evening of magic at the Annexe Venue back in June 2012.”

James said he got to know Paul personally when he appeared in Monmouth and Lydney. He said: “Paul lived in a beautiful riverside location at Wargrave-on-Thames (Reading, Berkshire). He was a very talented guy who made his own props and also made stage props for the famous “Mill at Sonning” Dinner Theatre which is in the village of Sonning-on-Thames, now home to George and Amal Clooney.”