THE circus rolled into town this week with a glittering line-up of acrobats, high-wire walkers, trapeze artists and clowns.

Billy Smart's circus at East Holmes field promises a show for the new millennium - no caged-up tigers, miserable elephants or long-suffering Shetland ponies here.

In fact no animals, just a guilt-free show fit to rival any Russian or Mexican big top. The only performers in this red and white tent were of the human kind.

The 500 strong audience was treated to a fast-changing selection of performers plucked from every corner of the world.

After a lengthy introduction played to Let Me Entertain You and some clowning around with Mexican Henri, Ailona a glamorous 18-year-old Russian wowed the audience (particularly the male members) with four and more hoola hoops spinning around her lithe body.

Henri the clown plucked some unsuspecting members of the audience to ring his bells and one poor bloke to do a little ditty with the cymbals in a tutu.

A rubbery couple from South Africa, Mawendo, followed with a punishing act on the trapeze. They wrapped and contorted themselves around each other while dangling high above the circus ring.

Some morphing multi-coloured tubes looking like huge tumble dryer hoses were one of the stranger acts and mesmerised the children.

And some trampolening acrobats from Bulgaria triple somersaulted across the ring in quick succession, leaving the front of the audience wondering wheth-er they were going to leap right into their laps.

The second half opened with a staggering show of stamina from four girls named The Pantheras. Balancing off a large bar, two of the girls dangled from the other girls necks in a polished if painful looking pose.

A comic food fight followed a rather plain juggling act, and Henri had the audience tossing bundles of spaghetti back and forth finishing with a satisfying custard pie slap in the face.

One of the weirdest acts was a Jimmy Savile look-alike from the Ukraine called Vladislav.

Dressed in white plastic trousers and mesh shirt, the wizard-haired rocker did a mean act with the aerial straps.

Twisting and spinning up and down the rope, he whooshed a few feet above the audience's heads to a loud Billy Idol soundtrack and exited to a taped cheer.

Perhaps the highlight (quite literally) was the tight rope walkers from Venezuela. Deciding that a safety net is for the wimps, these three skipped, uni-cycled and swept blind-fold across the high wire with the inevitable 'near miss' bringing a loud inhalation from the audience.

Judging by the children amongst us (mine especially), who were begging to be taken again, Billy Smart's is set to enjoy a profitable revival, proving that the circus for the new millennium still has plenty to offer.

For good clean family fun, you just can't top it.

l The circus put on four performances in Ilkley from Monday to Wednesday but was due to move on to Silsden Carnival field from tonight until Sunday. Tickets start at £10 for adults and £8 for children.