It was a year ago on the Isle of Sheppey that circus performer Megan Christian crashed to the ground and broke her neck after slipping off her trapeze.

Incredibly, she fought back and earlier this year she returned to the ring with a new high-flying act. But could the Iwade showgirl face returning to the site of her horror fall?

A publicist for Santus Circus hinted she might as the travelling show pitched its new Big Top at Barton’s Point, Sheerness. As it happened, she wasn’t and we all breathed a secret sigh of relief.

Although she was featured in the glossy programme, a circus insider revealed she still had a weakness and was recovering. Her place was taken by Tamara from Brazil who dangled from a metal hoop using just her foot.

Circus people often gleefully talk of death-defying acts but sometimes it’s hard to understand why a person would willingly risk injury or death to entertain the candyfloss-eating masses. But they do.

The current show is slicker, faster and probably even more dangerous than before. There are a few familiar faces missing, like Aggi the slinky man. It appears there is a spate of births taking place so some of the circus family are back home.

But Sergio Silva continues to cheat gravity twice a night clambering onto the foreboding Wheel of Death armed with nothing but poise, balance, strength - and a blindfold - and then nearly hits the roof as the contraption revolves.

Not content with that, he returns with a brace of crossbows for one of the most dangerous acts in the ring.

The three Nerys riders race motorcycles inside the Globe of Death narrowly dodging each other in a remarkable feat of coordination as the lights are dimmed and the cage gradually opens. I just hope they haven’t seen those Youtube clips when this goes horribly wrong.

This year also features the skills of juggler Thomas Barrandon (or Burden as ringmaster Ernest Santus calls him). The young-faced Tom later turns into a quick-change artiste. It’s an incredible act. I have no idea how he and his partner Jenny do it.

There is also a master magician in the shape of David Nery who appears in the middle of the ring in a flash from a giant burning mirror ball.

Despite all these contortions, all the performers continue to smile. Now how on earth do they do that?