The show will go on in Weymouth as not one but two circuses come to town.

The Continental Circus Berlin will set up at Lodmoor Country Park from tomorrow until Tuesday September 1, whilst the Circus of Horrors will take centre stage in a one-night extravaganza on Saturday August 29, at the same venue.

John Haze, director of Continental Circus Berlin and the ringmaster and creator of the Circus of Horrors, said: “We’re really excited to go back on tour. It is great to be back doing what we love doing. We’re setting up the big top in Weymouth and we’ll be running two shows from there.”

Circuses had to stop production in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. As the months went on, there was little mention of circus performances within government guidelines which led to much worry and panic within the industry.

Eventually a peaceful protest was arranged and a group of circus performers, headed by the Association of Circus Proprietors (ACP), marched on Downing Street.

Mr Haze added: “We weren’t getting any government help, it seemed as if they had forgotten about us, and we didn’t qualify for any of the grants. If we had missed the entire summer period and started in October it wouldn’t have been viable and a lot of people would have been out of work.

"We decided to stage a socially distanced protest outside Downing Street. The demonstration worked and the very next day we began to be included in government discussion. The day after that the Prime Minister announced that outdoor events were allowed to go on, which circuses fall under with the use of a big top.”

The two shows will be operating under strict social distancing rules. There will be air conditioning in the big top, a one-way system and guests will be sat in bubbles with a one metre gap between them and other groups.

There is limited seating, with the usual capacity of 1,300 reduced to 500. To purchase tickets, visit www.circusberlin.co.uk for Continental Circus Berlinand www.ticketmaster.co.uk/circus-of-horrors-tickets/artist/26960 for Circus of Horrors.