AN OXFORDSHIRE hypnotist said he was overwhelmed by the success of an online hypnosis experiment which saw more than 31,000 people log on to start the new year in a trance.

Chris Hughes, 34, cancelled a live online hypnosis session on Monday, claiming lawyers feared a participant could get stuck in a trance.

However, within 17 hours 31,740 people in more than 85 countries had downloaded his hypnosis session on MP3, in which Mr Hughes tests people’s susceptibility to hypnosis by attempting to ‘lock’ their hands together and making it impossible for them to open their eyes.

Using just the power of his voice Mr Hughes also hypnotised people to feel better about themselves and motivate them to achieve their goals in 2010.

Mr Hughes, who works as a hypnotherapist in Banbury, said: “I have had over 1,000 emails from people saying it was amazing and they wouldn’t have tried hypnotism at all if it wasn’t for this.

“I’m upset we couldn’t do it live but the world we live in is over-litigious.”

To listen to the session visit socialtrancelive.co.uk