A Sidmouth performer is flying high after starring in Disney’s latest family blockbuster.

Sidmouth Herald: Richard Garaghty (left) is among the cast of the newly released DUMBO, pictured with comedy partner Goronwy Thoms. Picture: SONY DSCRichard Garaghty (left) is among the cast of the newly released DUMBO, pictured with comedy partner Goronwy Thoms. Picture: SONY DSC (Image: Archetype Images)

Richard Garaghty was cast as a clown in Dumbo after impressing director Tim Burton during an audition which featured 45 other performers from across the world.

The 43-year-old has been a familiar face treading the boards of the Manor Pavilion and during the folk festival with performance partner Goronwy Thoms.

He attended the film’s premiere in London last week, taking his mum with him on the red carpet to see seven months of hard work come to life.

Mr Garaghty said: “It was great, and a relief to know I made it into the movie because you never know how much will hit the cutting room floor.

“I enjoy all forms of performance that I have been lucky enough to be involved in, from the thrill of making a live audience laugh to making a huge puppet creature react realistically for a huge Hollywood star.”

He said a highlight on the night was having his name called out after the stars, at the request of Mr Burton, who wanted to thank the circus performers.

In the film, the Rugby born performer can be spotted juggling, unicycling and recreating the famous ‘clown fireman’ scene first seen in the 1941 Disney original.

He worked mainly with Danny DeVito who plays Max Medici, the head of a struggling circus, which takes off when a newborn elephant with oversized ears possesses the ability to fly.

He said: “The sets and were all absolutely incredible to perform on, the attention to detail amazing, rich colors and fabrics. The entire film was shot in studios, split between Pinewood and Cardington in Bedford, which when you see the film is almost unbelievable as so much of the movie is set outdoors with rolling fields and miles of countryside.”

It is not Richard’s first foray into film, having donned an alien costume for Star Wars, The Force Awakens and worked behind the scenes as a puppeteer for Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom.

He aims to be back in Sidmouth with Goronwy for this year’s Sidmouth Folk Festival in the first week of August, before a bumper Variety by the Sea showcase next February. Dumbo is out today.