VIDEO: Human canonball ready for final flight

1:46pm Thursday 9th October 2008

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IF you have never seen a man being shot from a cannon, you had better be quick.

Europe's last human cannonball will be hanging up his crash helmet at the end of this month.

Andre Astronov is currently performing with the Moscow State Circus, in Danson Park, Welling, but through an interpreter, he told News Shopper: "I would rather finish now while my health is fine and I have not had an accident.

"It is a very dangerous and risky act."

Human cannonballs have been part of circus life for more than 140 years and Astronov is Russia's and Europe's last remaining act of its kind.

It is dying out mainly because of the dangers involved.

There have been 22 deaths and many more injuries, usually caused by mistakes on landing.

The first mechanism for propelling a human through the air, was developed by William Hunt in 1871 and the first air-powered cannon was developed in the 1920s.

But even today's cannons put huge pressure on the bones and human organs, when it is fired.

You can find out if Astronov survives his final weeks as a human cannonball unscathed, at Danson Park until Sunday.

The circus will then move to Canterbury, before Astronov makes his last appearances at Blackheath from October 22 to November 2.

Call 0844 856 5555 for tickets.