A Stoke Newington magic-themed café selling “levitating avocados” has told the Gazette “the door to magic is always open – you just need to lean on it.”

The Twisted Fork, in Stoke Newington High St, launched 10 months ago and claims to be the only magic café in the world.

From homemade rainbow bagel towers to bespoke, interactive holographics of Michelangelos's The Creation of Adam, the quirky café is certainly a step outside the box.

The alternative business works with Marvin's Magic - a dealer stocking Harrods and Hamleys and now the café's own magic shop which opened earlier this month. Owner Richard Clark has been a member of the Magic Circle since 2008 and was inspired to create The Twisted Fork - its name in honour of Richard's cutlery-bending shows - during his travels in Southeast Asia.

While showing the Gazette one of his trademark tricks - turning business leaflets into £20 notes - he recalled: "I started magic relatively late when I was a teenager.

"I was inspired from a fantastic performance after which I went straight to a magic shop, bought all its books and then taught myself how to perform. Now I'm rubbing shoulders with some of the best magicians in the world.

"When I set this place up our two key words were inspire and imagination. I want to inspire people to think outside the box and be a little bit different.

Richard also runs an academy, a six-week magic school for kids aged four to 11 culminating in a gala show for their families.

"Hundreds of people come in here and they leave smiling," Richard added.

"It's very good for the soul and it makes a lot of people happy. It's the language of fascination. It's wonderful for people to come and experience something completely unbelievable. It's not exclusive either. The door to magic is always open - you just need to lean on it."

Prompted on what it takes to be a magician at the top of the trade, Richard added: "Practice, practice, practice. And perseverance. Go to the right people for advice. Never give away the secret.

"Initially it's a journey you take alone. But once you've proven you have a genuine passion, there's so much help out there to continue learning and that's what we try to inspire."