A young south Warwickshire entrepreneur and autism advocate is celebrating his latest accolade after being voted Best Wedding Magician in The Cotswolds Awards.

Angus Baskerville's latest award recognises his inspirational story of how magic 'saved his life,' and his ongoing mission to advocate for autism and mental health.

It also acknowledges his unique expertise as an outstanding close-up wedding magician, bringing a compelling stage presence and skilful mix of mind-bending illusions and trickery.

The news also follows the launch of Angus's first book in Kenilworth, 'Naughty or Neurodiverse: An Aspie's Road To Magic' following his journey from misunderstood child to professional magician, thanks to a new passion he discovered while holidaying with family as a teenager.

Bullied, excluded, expelled from three schools, Angus grew up feeling like he didn't belong. Diagnosed with Asperger's and ADHD at 15, he finally had a name for the chaos he had always felt.

Now he is enjoying huge national success with a magic career that includes a return to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival throughout August, on the back of a sell-out summer one-man show, Hidden Powers, and series of big ticket event performances.

He is also the proud recipient of a clutch of national awards, including last year, The Prestige Award, Ladies First Inspirational Awards and The Derek Award for standout acts at The Fringe.

Of his latest award, the 29-year-old from Binton, said: "I truly believe that hidden powers such as those I've found in me, exist in all of us. To be recognised for what I do in adding magic to weddings, the most special day in a couple's life, is both humbling and hugely appreciated.

"What make the awards all the more special is that they are 100% independent, every nomination and vote coming from members of the public. Thank you so much to everyone who supported me."

As a Christmas gift in 2014 Angus' parents Neil and Kate enrolled him on a magic course at the famous Davenport's in London, bolstered by which he went on to compete in – and win - his sixth form talent contest. He earned money through his talent for the first time, performing tricks for tips in his local pub.

At 19, Angus joined Leamington and Warwick Magic Society and, in 2020 he was accepted as a member of the prestigious Magic Circle. Today, he is in high demand among the magic and public speaking circuits, performing to a who's who list of rich and famous at prestigious venues across the country, including Windsor Castle, The Grosvenor Hotel Park Lane and Greenwich Theatre in London.

Despite a packed schedule these days, Angus is still finding time to stay true to his pledge to 'pay it forward' by helping others overcome the challenges of neurodiversity through workshops, holiday camps, mentoring and public speaking.

He is also a regular keynote speaker at autism conferences, conventions and workshops around the country, and a proud neurodiversity ambassador for numerous charities and bodies.

He added: "Life on the spectrum can be tough but with support, self-awareness and the right environment, it can also be joyful, meaningful and full of magic. I think if I had been diagnosed earlier things would have been different. I just felt like I was a bad person and the whole world was against me. I just didn't want to be here.

"But I've learned so much about mental health and other people and about autism and how you can achieve anything if you set your mind to it. There's always hope."

The Cotswolds Awards recognise the best businesses in a host of categories across industry sectors, from hospitality and food and drink producers through to retail and professional services.

They were created by Mette Lacey, founder of Cotswolds Concierge. Established in 2011, the online magazine now reaches more than 80k readers who all benefit from its definitive guides and directory spotlighting and connecting local businesses and suppliers.

Mette said: "Warwickshire led the way this year with a strong and warmly received wave of nominations, and we were delighted to welcome even more entries from further afield following our expansion into the four shires that shape the wider Cotswolds — Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire."

"We created The Cotswolds Awards to shine a light on the extraordinary businesses, experiences and people who make this region so special.

"Although the Awards are run by us at Cotswolds Concierge, they are driven entirely by public nominations and votes. They're completely free to enter, fully independent, and designed to give every business a fair and equal chance. Congratulations to Angus for this well deserved award and for helping to fly the flag for Warwickshire."

'Naughty Or Neurodiverse: An Aspie's Road To Magic' is available as a Kindle edition or in paperback from Amazon. For further details and to order click here.

The full list of Cotswolds Awards winners can be found here.