In a first for Colwall, a big top circus is will be visiting the village this week.

The show will see acrobats, artists and stuntmen perform for one night only at Colwall Primary School, and the show will be open to all.

The Happy Circus will be there this Thursday to celebrated 250 glorious years of circus performance.

Modern circus was effectively invented by Philip Astley in 1768 in London, close to the Houses of Parliament.

In an age when entertainers increasingly needed ticket sales, instead of royal or noble patronage to survive, Astley hit on a formula that was designed to catch the eye of ordinary people, looking to be entertained.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The project ‘Circus 250’ has been set up to promote the 250 year celebrations.

And to compliment those celebrations, Happy’s Circus has taken its theme from the hit film “The Greatest Showman”.

The visit of the circus has been organised by Friends of Colwall Primary School in order to raise much needed funds for Colwall Primary School.

Speaking about the preparations, organiser Edd Hogan said, “Very few children get to experience going to a big top circus nowadays so it’s great that we will be giving children, as well as adults, this wonderful experience.

The performers are extremely talented.” Edd also pointed out that there are no animals in this circus, and he said: “The show is open to all – not just those with links to the school.

This week, in the run up to the event the school has been be hosting two days of circus skills days where pupils in every year group has been getting first-hand experience of circus tricks and talents.

The gates open at 4.30pm with the show itself at 6pm.

There will be a bar, food, a sweet shop and facepainting on the school field to compliment the show.

Tickets (£7.50 individual / £25 family) are available now from John Goodwin (Colwall), and the school office.