The circus runs deeply within the Chipperfield blood. The family has been lured by the smell of the greasepaint for more than 300 years, with performances recorded back to 1684.

They are now one of the world's leading circus dynasties and have entertained thousands of people happy to see lions, monkeys, horses and other animals perform in the big top.

And the show has carried on in spite of circus traditions -- particularly involving performing animals -- falling out of public favour.

In 1989 Richard Chipperfield was fined after a lion cub destined for his circus died after a 24-day sea voyage in overcrowded conditions.

Animal activists

And animal activists were believed to have freed four lions from the Chipperfield Brothers Circus in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, in 1991, forcing the 100-strong audience to flee.

In 1966 Jimmy Chipperfield set up the world's first safari park at Longleat, Wiltshire. Many others around the world were based on his model.

He had left the circus 11 years earlier to train wild animals for film and television.

His daughter Mary and her husband, Roger Cawley, ran the park for 18 years, but she returned to the circus to train exotic animals, which she shows abroad.

Their son, David, became an animal trainer, and their daughter, Suzanne, became an animal presenter.

But Richard and Graham Chipperfield decided to try their luck in America, where animals performing in the circus is still popular with the public.
 

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