THERE was a time when Markus Kullnal - daredevil acrobat, stiltwalker and all round death-defier - played the trumpet for his dad’s circus.

He used to train the horses too, and work with the elephants. But when asked if he would not rather be doing that than risking his life every night in the ring on the terrifying Wheel of Death, he is quick to reply.

“Horses and elephants, they take a lot of work,” he says, emphatically. “They have to be fed, and cleaned, and exercised, all day, every day.”

He adds, with a twinkle in his eye: “They are much harder than the Wheel of Death. I don’t want to go back to that...”

The Wheel of Death is a weird-looking contraption, a giant hamster wheel on the end of a big lever, which spins around and around at gulp-inducing speeds while Markus hops and leaps around all over it.

On the ground, steadying the smaller end, is his wife Gabbi, the other – and equally important - half of Duo Galaxy.

“My wife is my brake,” says Markus. “I trust her 100 per cent.

“She has a very difficult job. One day, this boy working in the circus ring says he thinks my wife doesn’t do anything hard.

“So I tell him – okay, you try it. The wheel spins down and he catches it and bam!” Markus gives a shout of laughter.

“He ends up flying across the ring.

“ So no, it is not easy and while my wife seems very petite, she is powerful.”

The couple, who are originally from Dresden in Germany, have been performing the Wheel of Death routine for more than 15 years, appearing in places as diverse as Russia (where they performed with Markus’s idol, the clown Oleg Popov) and a tiny island near Madagascar off the coast of Africa.

For the last two years, they have been performing with Australia’s highly acclaimed Michael Ashley’s Circus, and this is the first time they have been to Scotland.

“I love Glasgow – it is such a beautiful and friendly city, with incredible architecture,” he says. “The people are so helpful and so willing to talk – it is wonderful.”

Markus is the fifth generation of a German circus family, entering the ring alongside his five brothers and two sisters, at the age of eight.

He cut his teeth as a musical clown (hence the trumpet) then progressed to presenting a team of Shetland ponies at 12, and at 15 joined the trapeze act. Three years later, he was in charge of the elephants.

Gabbi , who is from Romania, was also born into a circus family and the two met when she came to work with Markus’s dad. She was part of a flying trapeze group and Markus fell in love at first sight.

“I stole her away,” he beams. “We have been together ever since.

“We know each other and trust each other very well.”

The act is jaw-dropping – super-fit Markus, who is in his late 40s, swings himself from the interior of the wheel to the outside and back again; hanging, jumping, skipping and almost flying.

Gabbi is the anchor woman, balancing the weight distribution evenly, as well as regulating and maintaining the speed of the wheel for each manoeuvre her husband performs.

When Markus puts his stilts on and walks round the outside of the wheel, it’s a miracle no-one faints. Markus has had one bad accident – in Portugal, during a performance, the lights failed and as he had no idea where he was, he lost his balance and plunged to the floor below.

Luckily, his injuries were not serious and he says he is not concerned about it happening again.

“Zippo’s is the most professional, well-organised circus, and I do not worry about that here,” he says. “Coming to Zippo’s is fantastic for us – they are so well thought of, it’s wonderful to be part of it.”

The couple have no plans to retire any time soon – although they would like to live in Thailand when the time comes – and are looking forward to their Scottish tour with Zippo’s.

“Up there you feel like you are flying,” smiles Markus, before adding, earnestly: “I will not lie to you – when I stand behind the curtain waiting to come on, my hands are shaking and yes, I am scared.

“But that is very good for me.

“When you lose that fear, you are losing respect for your act and when you do that – whoof,” he exhales, with a roll of his eyes.

“That is when you are in danger of having an accident - and that is when it is time to stop.”

Zippo’s Circus is at Victoria Park in Glasgow until Sunday (June 21) and then at various venues throughout Scotland. Visit www.zippos.co.uk for full details.