Tricky Jobs

How many of us used to dream of joining the circus when we were ™ children? Well, Chris Sayers, a trapeze artist at Zippo's Circus, did just that. It took him ten years of training before he felt confident enough to per­form six metres above the ground. Since then he has become one of the few people in the world who can do four somersaults one after the other. There are many risks involved in this job. Trapeze artists need to work with a partner they can depend on. When flying through the air at 60 mph, they have to be sure their partner will catch them. " Many times in the past, if I hadn't had a partner I could trust, I would have fallen and probably hurt myself seriously, " says Chris. People who work in the circus love the risks and the thrill of their profession. Broken bones are part of the job." I just wish they didn't take so long to mend, " Chris explains. He earns £ 500 per week, but it is certainly not easy money.

There are only two hundred combat soldiers in the British Army who can parachute into the sea, dive for hours in freezing waters and then spy in enemy territory successfully. James Rennie is one of them. This isn't his real name because his own identity has to be kept secret. " It's a very exci­ting job, but it's also tough and dangerous. You have to be courageous, " says James. It takes five long years of training before such a soldier can go on a special mission. According to James, the toughest part of the business is spying. " I've been on a lot of missions that involve this kind of work. If the enemy had caught us, they would have killed us." £ 45, 000 per year might sound like a lot, but few people would risk their lives for less.

Most patients are thankful for the care they get from their doctors, but when it comes to animals it's a different story. Every vet knows that animals are much more likely to turn round and bite rather than thank them. Steve Divers is an experienced vet and has been bitten by countless cats and dogs. With more danger­ous animals, though, he takes special care. For example, with poisonous snakes, he keeps them in a cloth bag, and uses a metal instrument to keep the head down and the teeth away from his hands. " If I didn't know how to handle some animals, I would probably have permanent scars by now, " Steve says. Although it takes many years of study to become a vet, it is a very rewarding and well-paid career. " All animals in need must be treated. I would never ignore a sick animal, even if it was dangerous enough to kill me, " says Steve.