A circus acrobat from Kent is recovering after fracturing her spine in a horror fall during a show at London's Hyde Park.

Jackie-Louise Armstrong, a mum-of-one who grew up on Romney Marsh, plunged 12ft to the ground in front of horrified spectators at the popular Winter Wonderland attraction on Sunday.

Medical staff rushed to the aerialist's aid while the audience was cleared from the venue.

One witness said: "It was horrific. I thought it was part of the act but when she didn’t get back up I knew something was wrong. A group of people ran on to help her, and people were shouting for a paramedic."

A spokesman for Zippos Circus has now confirmed Jackie-Louise, aged 35, sustained a fracture to the base of her spine, as a result of the fall.

But she had a lucky escape. She successfully underwent surgery yesterday and is now recovering in hospital.

Doctors believe she will be back on her feet as early as today, and that she will make a full recovery.

A Zippos Circus spokesman said last night: "It is anticipated that Jackie will be discharged from hospital either tomorrow or Wednesday, when she will return to her home at Zippos Circus to recuperate.

"Zippos Circus and Jackie’s family would like to thank the paramedics who attended on site and the medical staff at the hospital who have taken exceptional care of her."

Last month, KentOnline interviewed Jackie-Louise as part of a feature about her life in the circus.

She told us how she joined after finishing theatre studies at Christchurch University in Canterbury, having gone to Lydd Primary School and the former Southlands School, now Marsh Academy.

In 2011 she met Valter, a 33-year-old motorcyclist who joined the circus as part of the "globe of death" act - which sees motorbikes zoom around a spherical cage while a daring performer stands in the centre.

The two fell in love and now have a one-year-old baby, Lexie, together.

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