When the hugely popular Circus of Horrors first appeared at Glastonbury Festival in 1995, the show's knife throwing teenager Brandon McPherson wasn't even born. It would be another 17 years before Brandon first threw a knife at a target, inspired by his father, who, like him and his parents before him, was born into the circus.

And says Brandon, he didn't exactly run away to the circus: "No, he says, I was sent by my mum."

When Circus of Horrors arrives at The Courtyard next week it will mark a homecoming for the 18-year-old knife thrower (who, incidentally, also plays drums, juggles and unicycles in the show) as his dad now lives her, having moved to the city when he retired a couple of years ago.

Although he had ambitions when he was at school to become a vet, the circus is clearly in Brandon's blood.

"I first started when I was about 13 - I just messed about with my dad and found I could do it naturally," he explains. "I decided I wanted to do it professionally when I was 16 and that's when I first put a girl on the board. It's a bit nervewracking to begin with, but after doing it two or three times you lose the nerves.

"Dad did it all his life, having started when he was about 11, and I've grown up with a circus background. Dad was born into the circus, Mum ran away to the circus and my gran and grandad were both born into the circus."

Joining Circus of Horrors has seen Brandon follow in his dad's footsteps. "I first went to Circus of Horrors to see my dad, who joined the show in 2010/11. I'd always wanted to work there too."

From October to April, the circus tours, with performances in a different place every night, and when the current tour ends, Brandon will be back in Hereford for a while before heading for Wookey Hole, where the circus school offers him space to practise his skills when not on the road.

And he has plans for the future too: "I'd really like to learn the Wheel of Death and I'd love to learn to walk the high wire - that's what I want to do next."

Before that, though, there's the show in Hereford: Hereford's a lovely place and I can't wait to do the show here, especially as there'll be people I know in the audience."

Circus of Horrors present Voodoo, an evening of bizarre and mind blowing circus acts woven into a sensational shock horror story and the darkest of magic. The show is not for the faint hearted and is only suitable for those aged 16+.

The Circus of Horrors will be at The Courtyard on Monday, January 22 at 7.30pm. To book, call the box office on 01432 340555 or visit courtyard.org.uk