A circus performer has broken one world record and set a new one for skipping on a high wire.

　　Henry Ayala, 22, managed 1,005 consecutive skips over a skipping rope on a high wire, beating the previous record of 875. Performing on a 0.4ins wire rope set 26ft above the circus ring at Billy Smart's Circus in Bristol, Mr Ayala also did 211 skips in one minute, establishing a new record.

　　Chris Barltrop, marketing director of Billy Smart's Circus, described Mr Ayala as a "high wire jack-in-the-box". He said: "To even attempt this you have to be a world class performer and he has proven that." He added Mr Ayala had a couple of wobbles and there was a moment when the skipping rope caught a frill on his clothes, but he was "fine, very steady".

　　Mr Ayala and his family are seventh generation circus artistes from Venezuela. He usually dances, jumps and unicycles on the high wire without a net, but his father insisted on using a net due to the unusual nature of the stunt.