SHIVER me timbers! Blackpool Tower's Christmas Circus is all at sea.

Mooky the clown and friends are thrilling kids -- and their parents and grandparents -- with their mix of traditional panto high jinks and edge-of-your-seat acrobatics in their tale of Robinson Crusoe.

The desert island story is given an extra special circus twist as the fun and action is interspersed with enthralling dare-devil acts, including nail-biting unicycle stunts, twirling acrobats suspended high above the circus ring and a tumbling troupe turning breathtaking somersaults.

And of course, Mooky, playing Robinson Crusoe's less heroic brother, creates plenty of mayhem on his sea voyage with his brother Robinson (ringmaster Shelley Singalee), his wonderfully hideous panto dame mother Mrs Crusoe (Lex Day), the brave Captain Richardson (Richard Singalee)and his beautiful stowaway daughter Kelly (Kelly McClelland).

The gang are off on a journey to a desert island to find buried treasure. And what a journey! How many other pantos do you know that recreate the south seas -- water and all -- on the stage?

In a spectacular scene, the circus ring fills with water and a large wooden galleon looms into view. More high jinks follow as the cast give a raucous rendition of Yellow Submarine and are terrorised by a ghost -- cue excited screams of "It's behind you" from the audience.

And the trip takes an even rougher turn when they encounter Blue Beard the pirate and his terrible, tumbling gang, and, finally a ship wreck which maroons them on an island populated by cannibals.

But the scary Cannibal King (Harry Dawes) and his villagers, the wonderful limbo-ing Zulu Warriors (5 Kenya Boys) and dancers from the Langley Dance School, turn out to be entertainers rather than man-eating menaces and the gang end up on the bill rather than the menu.

With great costumes, awesome circus skills and great live music from the Circus Show Band, the show is a spectacular Christmas treat. Oh yes it is.

The Christmas Circus' Robinson Crusoe runs until January 6 next year. It's performed on Wednesdays and weekends, and then daily from December 26 to January 6. For show and opening times call Blackpool Live on (01253) 292029. The Christmas Circus is included in the tower admission price of £10 for adults and £6 for seniors and children.

RACHEL SILLS