A circus performer was seriously injured after falling off a tightrope 16 ft in the air in front of horrified onlookers.
Footage show the High Wire performer, who is from a Colombian troupe, sitting on the back of a chair, which was balancing on a pole held by two men as they walked across a tightrope at Gravity Circus in East Sussex.
As she began to lower herself into the sear while balancing her feet on the chair arm rests, the pole began to wobble.
Her foot then appeared to slip as she dropped onto the seat, and she fell off the apparatus along with the chair.
About halfway down the chair hits a wire, smacking into her and sending her into a freefalling backflip.
She hits the ground knees first, sending her into a spin until she landed fetal position on the metal ground.
Witness Hayley Walsh told the BBC: ‘It looked like her gave way. She lost her balance and went flying down wrapped around the wire.
‘She smashed down onto the metal floor.’
The woman sustained but non-life threatening injuries, South East Coast Ambulance Service said.
They revealed she suffered from ‘facial and other injuries consistent with a fall’.
Gravity Circus told a fan in social media the performer was ‘doing well and is in safe hands’.
They said: ‘Our primary concern is the wellbeing of the performer, their family, the high wire troupe, and our entire circus family.
‘We are closely monitoring the situation and conducting a thorough investigation.’
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