Cheshire’s award-winning Lion Salt Works Museum invites young magicians across the North West and beyond to take part in its first annual magic competition to be held on May Bank Holiday Weekend (Sunday, April 30 and Monday, May 1) at its site near Northwich.

This free event is part of the museum’s Magic at the Museum Bank Holiday weekend. To enter, email Kathryn Ravenscroft on Kathryn.ravenscroft@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or call the Lion Salt Works Museum on 01606 275066.

Open to young people in two categories aged 7-11 and 12-18, auditions for the 7-11 category will take place on Sunday, April 30 at 10.30am with finalists taking part in a public performance at 2pm. Auditions for the 12-18 category will take place on Monday, May 1 at 10.30am with finalists taking part in a public performance at 2pm.

The winning performance will be judged by a panel from the museum. Each act must be no longer than four minutes and no less than two minutes.

The performances will be judged on stage craft, originality and the response of the public to the act. The prize will be a cup, a magic kit and a prize from the shop plus the prestige of being named either Cheshire West and Chester’s Young Magician of the Year or Junior Magician of the Year.

Entry is free but competitors must be available for both the audition and the public performance.

Cllr Louise Gittins, Cabinet member for communities and wellbeing at Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “This is a great opportunity for young magicians to test out their talents in front of a sympathetic live audience. It also promises to be a magical weekend of free family fun for anyone who comes along to the museum over the Bank Holiday weekend.”

Throughout the Magic at the Museum weekend, there will be free entry to the museum for any child who arrives in magic-themed fancy dress, provided they are accompanied by a full-paying adult.

During the weekend, there will be a series of magically-themed craft activities, a Mystical Tea, a Chest of Curiosities and magical science experiments.