Circus of Horrors’ latest show The Night of the Zombie takes place in a corpse-ridden, apocalyptic London in the near future and its grisly story of murder and shocks is accompanied by a rocking soundtrack.

It’s a long way from most circuses, but the Britain’s Got Talent finalists who are now celebrating their 20th year don’t skimp on the high skills or death defying stunts, either.

When the show comes to Fairfield Halls in Croydon and the Coronet Theatre in New Kent Road next month, you can expect to see sword swallowers, knife throwers, daredevil balancing acts, astounding aerialists, a demon dwarf and fire limboing acrobats among the acts.

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One of the most impressive turns is Anastasia IV, who is a hair hanger capable of being suspended by her hair and pulling vehicles with it.

She said: “We all like to be afraid a little bit. That’s why people like horror movies and scary rides at Thorpe Park.

"Circus of Horrors is also great entertainment, it is not just about being scared.

“There are a lot of funny bits in the show and also acts of beauty. We have evil twins that do a fantastic synchronised trapeze act that you would find in a traditional circus and it really is like watching synchronised swimming up in the air.”

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Some of the acts have been honing their skills since they were nine years old and Anastasia, 28, has been with the Circus of Horrors since she was 18 and hair hanging for the last five years.

Anastasia's real name is Joanna Sawick and she was studying biochemistry in London when she went with her then-fiance to see the circus. They got chatting to the cast after the show and within months they both began working with them. He is now the sword swallower.

Anastasia said: “There is definitely something romantic about running away with the circus and there isn’t a better circus to run away with than the Circus of Horrors.

“It was only going to be for one year but we fell in love with it.”

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It took a while for Anastasia to settle on her vocation.

She said: “Growing up in Poland, the boys always used to pull my hair in the playground and that never really bothered me.

“I had seen a similar act when I went to see the Circus of Horrors for the first time when I was 14 and I thought, ‘you know what, I think I’ll be really good at this’.

“I took to it like a fish to water.”

Last year, she became a Guinness World Record holder for lifting the greatest weight with her hair.

Shockingly, there’s not really a trick to it, she said.

“It really is mind over matter. It does feel like it looks. You are being lifted up by your hair. It takes two guys to tie the hair like a rope around a metal ring and I am hoisted up.

“A lot of the acts in the Circus of Horrors can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

The Circus of Horrors’ The Night of the Zombie is at Fairfield Halls on Monday, November 10, and the Coronet Theatre in New Kent Road on Sunday, November 23. Call 020 86889291 or visit Fairfield.co.uk for tickets for the Fairfield show, or go to coronettheatre.co.uk or call 020 7701 1500.