Video and pictures: Knockout fun with the lords of the ring in Market Drayton

He is Eddie Woods, a part-time wrestler who joined a crack team that entertained a sizeable family crowd at Market Drayton's Festival Drayton Centre on Saturday night.

"From when I was six years old and I first saw wrestling on TV, all I have wanted is to be a wrestler," he said between bouts.

And who knows, perhaps some of the youngsters watching him in action will have been inspired to follow in his footsteps.

For children who watch American-style Slam Wrestling on TV, Saturday night's bouts were a chance to see the action up close and personal.

Gary Roberts was at the show with his nine-year-old son Bradley, whose favourite pro-wrestlers are Dean Ambrose and John Sena.

Mr Roberts, from Market Drayton, said: "We came because Bradley is a massive fan – this is our first time at this venue."

Ferdinand Villaluz, also from Market Drayton, brought his eight-year-old son Joshua and said it was very convenient to have a wrestling show only a short walk from his house.

He said: "My son watches wrestling on his iPad and this is our first time watching wrestling live – it is so much more economical than having to travel to one of the London venues."

Luke Douton, 27, runs the Slam Wrestling company with his wife Jess. He has also been known to take part in the ring.

"We have been running the touring show for three years, though I have been interested in wrestling since I was 15, he said.

"We like to provide an entertaining show for families styled on what they have seen on TV. Wrestling has had a consistent level of interest for the past few years, but this year interest in it really seems to have taken off. I still love getting in the ring, I have all the logistics of organising the event, but I still find time to get in the ring and fight as well."

And he's not the only one with another job to do outside of wrestling.

Said Eddy Woods: "I still have a normal day job as a forklift driver, but would love to be able to afford to wrestle full-time – and ultimately a move to America to do that would be amazing."

Although the wrestlers are trained and fit, injuries can still happen. Said Mr Woods: "I've had my fair share of injuries, including shoulder damage, a dislocated jaw and broken fingers. I do weight training to tone myself up and there is also a wrestling training academy that we can use to hone our skills and fitness."

Asked what it is about wrestling that appeals to him, Mr Woods said that it was the chance to be somebody different in the ring.

"When I am in the ring I like to be someone very different from my normal persona – I am much more aggressive on stage than I would ever be in real life.

"I enjoy creating a larger than life character and being like a superhero for the kids."

And the kids certainly seemed to enjoy themselves. Glyn Jackson, the Festival Drayton Centre manager, said it was the first time wrestling had been staged there, but had been a great success.

"It was very enjoyable evening on both sides of the ropes, especially as we had a lot of new people in the audience.

"One of the wrestlers said the audience made so much noise that they were drowning the referees count out.

"And on his way out, one father of a six year old said that he had never seen his son so lively and that it would probably take him two hours to get him to sleep."