Many of these weekly ramblings focus on something in grave danger of extinction. It might be a bird, or a tiny insect or a huge and dangerous big cat but today I’m looking at the threat of extinction to something rather different. Today I’m looking at the traditional circus.

I’ve always been in two minds about circuses. As a small child in north-west London huge touring circuses like Billy Smart’s or Chipperfield’s would set up their huge colourful marquees on Wormwood Scrubs – in the shadows of the famous prison – and off would go the family Frost to see  the clowns, the tightrope walkers, trapeze artists and the horses, elephants, lions and tigers.

At Christmas those same big circuses would set up in huge indoor arenas like Olympia, Earls Court, Alexandra Palace. And I’m sure other cities and towns all enjoyed their own local touring shows.