Grace Arnett brings the circus back home

WHEN the Big Top at Circus Wonderland opens in Cosham this week, one woman will be more excited than anybody else.
Grace Arnett, with co-directors Kriss Freear (Kakehole) and Paul Carpenter (Popol)Grace Arnett, with co-directors Kriss Freear (Kakehole) and Paul Carpenter (Popol)
Grace Arnett, with co-directors Kriss Freear (Kakehole) and Paul Carpenter (Popol)

Grace Arnett, 21, is the organiser at Circus Wonderland and the fifth generation of her family to run a business in Portsmouth. After touring the UK for the last five years, she is finally returning home to host the first-ever circus show in Cosham.

Grace’s grandfather Peter Arnett Senior, started out with a shellfish kiosk on Southsea Pier in 1946.

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From there, the family diversified into the entertainment industry and have now built up to having a multimillion-pound leisure company.

The Arnett family have always had a passion for the circus, and with the King George V Park playing host to the event, Grace’s dream of performing in her home town has become a reality.

Alongside juggling and hula-hooping, Grace will be doing fire manipulation for the crowd.

The show is aimed at the whole family, with unicyclists, roller skaters and high flying trapeze artistes providing the thrills.

On Saturday there will be a special performance for the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth David Fuller, who is related to the Arnett family, and collections will be made for his charity.

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