The American Circus rolls into Gravesend today. Reporter ALAN WOODS put his life on the line as he stepped into the show’s star act – the terrifying Globe of Death.

WALKING into the big top, most circus-goers are excited about the clowns and acrobats whilst tucking into their popcorn or candyfloss and inhaling the scent of sawdust.

But for me, I knew I was minutes away from having a motorbike raced inches away from my head at speeds of up to 40mph.

The Globe of Death is the grand finale act at Uncle Sam’s American Circus and features three South American daredevils – known as the Medina Riders - flying around a metal globe.

Mexican rider Abraham Medina, 27, who joined me in the globe, has been cheating death as part of this act since childhood when his father introduced him to it.

He has been touring the country with the show for five years and during his career, he has collected a list of injuries including a dislocated shoulder and several broken bones.

One of just three such acts in the UK, Abraham is joined during the show by his cousin Octavio Medina and Brazilian friend Pedro Roberto Coelho.

I’m not going to try and hide how scared I was about stepping into the globe.

I was wearing just my suit, with no safety helmet or any kind of protective gear, and was already thinking about the injuries I could leave with if this bike did collide with me.

As I stepped inside, another of the riders sealed the globe firmly shut and I knew this was it.

For Abraham this was just another day at the office, performing a stunt he will showcase 11 times during the shows visit to Gravesend.

This act is deafening, both for the audience who watch through their fingers from the edge of their seat - but more so for me.

As soon as the Abraham started revolving and building up momentum, the sound was the last thing on my mind as he started to loop the loop around my head, choking me with petrol fumes.

As the bike circled at incredible speeds, I was helpless and at Abraham’s mercy and the more he sped up, the more the globe wobbled.

But if I wobbled just a few centimetres either side of my starting position, I would fall directly into the path of the oncoming motorbike and it wouldn’t have been pretty.

It was all over and done with less than a minute later – which was plenty long enough for me – but it felt like I had been stood still for hours.

News Shopper: Alan Woods and Abraham Medina in the Globe of Death.

When asked why he thought the act was such a success Abraham said: “This act is all about the adrenalin and the kids love the fast bikes.

“But it is very dangerous if we crash into each other. If we clip each other then the three bikes just fall down into the middle.”

Uncle Sam’s American Circus performs daily at the Riverside Area in Gravesend from today until Sunday.

Visit americancircus.co.uk.