MEETING up with megastar magician David Copperfield would give anyone a thrill, so imagine what it would mean to a fellow magician.

That’s what happened to Colchester’s very own David Copperfield, Michael J Fitch, on a trip of a lifetime to Las Vegas.

There, not only did he meet up with one the world’s most famous magicians, but got a look at his legendary museum of magic collection as well.

Michael, 30, made the trip earlier this year as part of an assignment for Magicseen Magazine, the UK publication for magicians.

But while he had arranged to meet up with David Copperfield along with some other big name artists, such as Lance Burton, and Penn and Teller, nothing was to prepare him for what lay in store.

Michael said: “I just really wanted to meet David and have my picture taken with him. That’s all I ever expected.

“I grew up watching his big shows, like making the Statue of Liberty disappear. He was one of the reasons I first got into magic. He’s magic royalty.”

After meeting David before his show and then chatting with him in his hotel room afterwards, Michael thought that was it.

“To be honest that was more than enough for me,” the father-of-two said. “But then a few days later we got a call asking us to meet David.”

Michael, along with wife Helen and a friend, got picked up by a car and were taken into the Nevada desert to a big warehouse in the middle of nowhere.

“There he was,” Michael said. “He asked how we were and then took us inside a shop.

“It was like one of his shows. He took us into a booth and then shut the curtains. He then asked me to push a secret button and a door opened into the museum.”

Inside was the ultimate magician’s collection, including memorabilia from David Copperfield’s career as well as many items that once belonged to Harry Houdini.

“It was like being in a movie,” Michael said. “I had to pinch myself. I was in the same room and seeing Houdini’s trunk. His straightjacket gave me goosebumps.”

Michael plans another trip to Vegas very soon.

“I was in the bath the other day and the phone rang,” Michael said. “It was only David Copperfield asking how I was.” Now that’s magic.