AS I hung upside down with the blood rushing to my head, the last thing I wanted to do was let go.

I was clinging on to a looped piece of fabric, which was tied to the ceiling, with fellow reporter Katie Bond attempting a similar feat close by.

But with instructor Christine Gregory talking me through it, before I knew it I was suspended on the fabric by my legs and later turning flips in the air.

Chrissy, who has been running Polefect since 2006, has just started Aerial Silk Fitness Swindon.

The first session, which was held on Thursday night in the Polefect studios near the train station, saw six of us – who were all beginners – trying it out.

It was the first of what Chrissy, 33, hopes will become a popular fitness craze in the town.

“It builds flexibility, fitness and decompresses your spine through suspension exercises. I have been wanting to start teaching aerial silk fitness for a year,” she said.

“I was searching for new ideas and I noticed other people across the country were doing it so I decided to go for it.”

The session started with Chrissy fixing the aerial silks to the right length for everyone’s heights.

She then slowly started introducing us to using the material, first holding on to it with both feet on the floor while moving to the music.

Chrissy demonstrated impressive looking moves and told us how to do it, and when any of us were too scared to take on the challenge she helped us one by one.

There are three different levels of aerial silk fitness, with most people taking about four weeks to complete each stage.

By the end of the hour, all of us were turning circles in the air and practising our new moves.

“We are teaching the basic skills of the circus,” said Chrissy, who is expecting her fourth child.

“This is a mixture of fitness to build up the core strength. Once you have learnt the moves you can just come in and make up your own routines. You can just come in and decompress your spine.”

Most people at the session on Thursday were regulars at Chrissy’s pole dancing fitness sessions.

But all the moves were explained from the beginning so no previous experience of similar activities was needed.

The hour long sessions, in Unit 2 London Street, in Station Industrial Estate, are on Mondays from 7.30pm, Thursdays from 7.30pm, Fridays from 7pm, Saturdays from noon, 1.30pm or 3pm, or Sundays from 12.30pm or 2.30pm. A single session is £12.

Booking is essential. For more information visit www.aerialsilkfitnessswindon.co.uk or phone Chrissy on 07857 825773.