A former yo-yo champion vowed the show would go on after his demonstration for a group of schoolchildren was cancelled due to coronavirus lockdown.

Eastern Daily Press: Former yo-yo champion Richard Jarmy was asked by his son’s school in Bawburgh to put on a performance for pupils. Cancelled due to coronavirus, he filmed it from his living room instead. PIctured in a newspaper clipping from 1989, when 15-year-old Richard won the yo-yo semi-finals. Picture: ARCHANT LIBRARYFormer yo-yo champion Richard Jarmy was asked by his son’s school in Bawburgh to put on a performance for pupils. Cancelled due to coronavirus, he filmed it from his living room instead. PIctured in a newspaper clipping from 1989, when 15-year-old Richard won the yo-yo semi-finals. Picture: ARCHANT LIBRARY (Image: Archant)

Richard Jarmy, 46, of Queen’s Hills, Costessey, was asked by his seven-year-old son’s school to put on a performance to help teach pupils about gravity and kinetic energy.

Mr Jarmy, a freelance photographer, was due to demonstrate the skills during an assembly at The Bawburgh School but his efforts were almost thwarted amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Undeterred, he asked his fiancée, Christina, to film all of the action from their living room instead.

He said: “The video was inspired by a teacher at my son Jude’s school doing an assembly on the science behind gravity and kinetic energy. The teacher, Christopher Johnston, found out that I used to be a yo-yo champion and asked if I could go and do a demonstration in assembly.

Eastern Daily Press: Former yo-yo champion Richard Jarmy (right) was asked by his son Jude's (left) school in Bawburgh to put on a performance for pupils. Cancelled due to coronavirus, he filmed it from his living room instead. Picture: CHRISTINA EASTERFormer yo-yo champion Richard Jarmy (right) was asked by his son Jude's (left) school in Bawburgh to put on a performance for pupils. Cancelled due to coronavirus, he filmed it from his living room instead. Picture: CHRISTINA EASTER (Image: Archant)

“Because of coronavirus, it was cancelled. So I was asked if I would do a video to show the children instead.

“So I did it - mistakes and all! Jude especially loved the part when I hit the ceiling.”

READ MORE: 11 things to do at home with the kids over the Easter holidays.

The former champ, who grew up in the Earlham area of Norwich, used to frequent Asda car park every Saturday morning in 1989. Then aged 15, he would catch a free bus to enter competitions held there.

“I used to practice lots during the week to be ready for it,” he added.

“That same year, I went to Ritzy to watch Jason Donovan. One of the entertainment acts there were the Russell Spinner team who go all around the world to demonstrate yo-yo skills and hold competitions.

“This was in the May and little did I know that because of this, Coca-Cola were then about to launch a huge national competition to find the UK Spinner Champion.”

Mr Jarmy made it all the way to the semi finals, hosted by the then Radio Broadland presenters Rob Chandler and Kevin Piper, and went on to the national finals at Alton Towers Resort theme park in Staffordshire, hosted by Jeremy Beadle.

Mr Jarmy, who came third in the competition which saw 250,000 children participate, also received an illusive gold Coca-Cola spinner that he still has today.

- Subscribe to our daily coronavirus newsletter, with all the latest from where you live, here .