DAREDEVILS vaulted, somersaulted and back-flipped their way along Weymouth Esplanade.

Free runners demonstrated their talents for crowds on the seafront ahead of their appearance at Dorset County Show this weekend.

The Roar team are the top 10 free runners in the south west.

Three members of the team warmed up the crowd in a preview of the Dorchester show, which will see them scale 10ft high structures and carry out some jaw-dropping tricks and flips.

Free running is the practice of moving through the environment in a way that is fluid and creative.

Jacob Peregrine, 23, of Bridgwater, founded Roar 18 months ago and has been training in free running, also known as Parkour, ever since.

He started free running in his local park for three years before he decided to take it up professionally.

He said: “It’s about mentally pushing yourself as well as physically and aiming to compete against yourself.”

“People perceive it to be a very dangerous and extreme sport but everything is technical and planned, we don’t just throw ourselves off 20ft high buildings, we’ll start with two feet and build up to it.

“We want to get away from this ‘extreme’ stigma.

“We don’t like injuries either, this is my career and if I get hurt I can’t do it.”

Jacob is a level two Parkour coach and offers tuition to people ranging in age from seven to 60 years old.

He said: “It’s all about the individual, not how old you are but the self belief you have.”

Roar team member Reece Toth, 20, from Bournemouth, met Jacob at a stunt audition for Spiderman.

Rhys Holloway, 19, of Bridgwater, has been with Roar from the beginning and is building his technique back up after several injuries.

Heloise D’Souza, spokesman for the Dorset County Show, said: “This will be the first time we’ve had free runners. It’s an urban sport and we wanted to take it and bring it to the country.”

The Dorset County Show will be at Dorchester showground from 8.30am to 6pm tomorrow and Sunday.

The day Emily went flying

CROWDS gathered on the Esplanade for a free running performance and were given the added treat of bearing witness to my own first attempts, writes Emily Stott.

Jacob Peregrine, who founded the free running team Roar, was surprised I was so eager to take on the challenge.

He first led me through some of the basic moves, assuring crowds that this wasn’t the main show in case they mistook me for one of the team.

Then it was my turn; I took a deep breath and ran towards the vault, pushing myself up with my hands and jumping through the air.

After my first attempt Jacob said I hadn’t actually done what he’d asked but managed a more advanced 360 jump.

I tried a few more jumps and he advised me to really bend my knees and put some strength behind each jump.

Jacob jumped over vaults with ease and I enthusiastically bounded after him.

It was really exciting flying through the air though and I was told I’d done really well although Jacob could have been taking pity on me.

Another team member, Rhys Holloway, said: “Some people run up to it and panic but you jumped straight over it.”

I jumped straight over it and didn’t fall flat on my face. I think that is a great success.

I’m still waiting on my phone call from Roar begging me to join their team – I’m sure it will be any day now.