An insurance manager has been sacked after being caught out working as children's magician 'Mr Hocus Pocus' while on paid sick leave.

Peter Hopkins, 38, had been off work form his job with Legal and General (L&G) for six months when he did his act as a 'friendly wizard'.

An industrial tribunal has dismissed his claim for breach of contract after it decided his employer had acted fairly in sacking him from his £30,000-a-year job as a resource manager.

He was rumbled after a human resources officer from L&G spotted Mr Hopkins doing his act at a christening party.

Mr Hopkins had claimed that his doctor encouraged him to keep on performing to help overcome his stress-related illness.

However, reports the Daily Mail newspaper, Ian Steele, from L&G, told Mr Hopkins: "You must have thought Legal and General would have cause for complaint if you performed magic tricks for money while you were employed by them.

"The website for your magic shows was operational throughout your sickness period and your advert was in the Yellow Pages."

It remains to be seen whether Mr Hopkins will be able to magic his way out of this one.

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