With his legs crossed and seemingly floating in mid air, a street performer painted in silver, wearing a top hat remains upright and motionless in Covent Garden’s bustling piazza.

Astonished faces and curious onlookers gather around him to stare, trying to uncover the secret to this mind boggling display of levitation.

A few yards away a magician performs tricks as he tells jokes and makes friendly banter with the clapping crowd, leaving smiles all around, laughter in the air and the jangle of coins as people rummage for a small change.

The eyes of curious tourists and shoppers, distracted by designer handbags, tempting restaurant menus and charming market entrances, are now edging over to where the excited crowds are growing wider and wider.

Illusionists, musicians and circus acts perform their camera-phone worthy talents, keeping the ever watchful observer under their mysterious charm.

They’ve been doing this since 1662, when England’s first puppet show is thought to have been performed here, with the introduction of a puppet famously known as Punch.

Covent Garden is a popular go-to London tourist spot and well known for it’s street performer tradition.

International Busking Day live event at Wembley Park (apparently, the largest of it’s kind, globally) alongside the next round of Covent Garden auditions for piazza performers in August, provided plenty of opportunity for any budding buskers to showcase their talents over the summer.