Fleetwood girl perfects amazing hair-hanging act for Circus Mondao in Thornton

Suzy, 20, of Northfleet Avenue, Fleetwood, joined Circus Mondao more than three years ago and quickly established herself as an acrobat with Troupe Agadir, of Morocco.

But when the pandemic lockdowns closed the circus, she had to go back to Fleetwood and soon grew bored.

Suzy ended up teaching herself a new routine, a dramatic hair-hanging act in which she is lifted far above the audience by her hair.

And when she started practising by hanging from a tree in her home town, it caused quite a stir!

She said: “There wasn’t enough room to do it at home so I had to go outside a find a tree.

“I started practising next to a care home and there were people looking out of the window and groups of people coming up to watch me.

“It didn’t really bother and over the months I managed to perfect the routine - you need strong neck muscles and you have to let your scalp get used to taking your weight.

“At first it really hurt but now I’m used to it and I don’t feel any pain.”

Incredibly, Suzy learnt the routine from YouTube and, now the circus is up and running again, it’s part of the show.

Suzy abandoned a performing arts course to join the circus full time in 2018 and she hasn’t looked back.

She said: "I love it, it's the best thing I could have done.

“The thing I love most is the audience reaction each night you perform, you never get tired of it.

“It is hard work, though, there’s always a lot to do behind the scenes.

"Some people think you just do a couple of shows each day and that's all you have to do, but we're always busy with something."

Circus Mondao has set up the Big Top at the Norcross Lane car boot field in Thornton until September 5.