Billy Smart's Circus is coming to town next month

Europe's top circus is choosing to visit Exeter's Alphington Roundabout Circus Field in its 2013 tour after a comeback from several years of non-touring. An event you won't want to miss and a circus show that will be talked about for at least the rest of the year.

Billy Smart's Circus has always been ahead of its time. Billy Smart was probably the most famous name under the British Big Top and now it has been making its first full tour of Great Britain for over 30 years.

Billy Smart's New World Circus began in 1946 when the highly successful showman – known to his family and staff as ‘The Guv'nor' – bought a Big Top and added circus performances to his funfair as an ‘extra attraction'. The circus soon took precedence.

Over the next 25 years, Billy Smart's Circus became a household name, touring under a massive 5,000-seat Big Top and synonymous with the highest quality, most modern and most exciting circus entertainment available. A television Tribute to Billy Smart made history as BBC TV's first-ever colour programme, and TV broadcasts continued as a Christmas tradition long after regular touring last ceased in 1971. TV audiences peaked at 21 million, a huge figure even now, and earned a Silver Camera Award. And Smart's – known as ‘the Big Show' – also produced TV ‘specials' from Windsor Great Park for the Queen's Jubilee in 1977.

Smart's Circus always had a reputation for modern, clean seating, heating in the Big Top, all the mod cons of the theatre and of course, a show the like of which had never been seen before. None of that has changed so expect to see a spectacular modernised traditional circus presented in a fantastic 2013 setting with great lighting, sound, effects and music.

Billy Smarts Circus is one of the biggest travelling show ever to have toured the UK and that will not change as the circus tours again for the celebration of its 2013 return tour.

The performance will include a fantastic Australian flying trapeze act which has been the toast of the circus world, Desiree's handbalancing act in which she fires a bow and arrow - with her feet!, acrobats, jugglers, breath-taking aerialists and even a fireman who works his routine on a flaming ladder. With comedy and spectacle this is Billy Smarts Circus at its amazing best, the cream of circus.

Tony Hopkins for New World Circus presents Billy Smart's Circus at Alphington Roundabout Circus Field from Tuesday 3 September to Sunday 8 September. There are two performances - Tuesday to Friday at 4.45pm and 7.30pm, three on Saturday at 2pm, 4.45pm and 7.30pm and two on Sunday when the performance times are 12.30pm and 3.30pm.

With a heated Big Top, free car parking and ticket prices from only £10 this has to be Exeter's show of the year.

Call 0844 415 5228 to book your tickets or check out www.billy-smarts-circus.co.uk for more spectacular details.

If you only see one show in 2013, make it the very best - Billy Smarts Circus at Exeter's Alphington Road Roundabout Circus Field.

The Exeter Daily will be offering 10 lucky families (two adults + up to three children) the chance to win tickets to Billy Smart's Circus when it visits Exeter next month. More details to follow shortly...