A former performer has achieved a Guinness World Record for fire eating while blindfolded.

Sarah Harman can extinguish 91 fires by 'eating' them while blindfolded and she says she is one of very few people in the world who are able to perform this trick.

The 42-year-old who runs The Fire School in East Ham trained for months to set the incredible world record.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and very delighted. I wanted a world record for over a decade and it is really exciting to see mine and other student’s records in the book.

“To have our school and our classes mentioned in the new book means everything to me.”

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Sarah Harman began performing when she was 19. Photo: Feather Photography

She continued: “I call it fire art as there are so many different types of performances. But I’m passionate about it because it is an addictive and mindfulness activity.

“I say this because it is too dangerous to have your mind on anything else whilst you’re doing it. As soon as I light the fire in that present moment nothing else exists.

“It is just you and the flames. The risk and the excitement and the joy and terror on other peoples faces whilst watching it.”

She added: “There are so many different skills within the fire arts and each skill needs a hell a lot of training.

“I specifically focus on fire eating whilst blindfolded. I’m one of the only people in the world who does that trick.”

Mr Harman fell into the world of performance when she was 19 while growing up in Portugal.

She regularly saw a street performance group and eventually began dating one of the performers. She later joined their living sculpture troupe in 1996.

Ms Harman said: “I had done a lot of theatre as a kid and it felt like a natural progression. We were like the extinction rebellion red brigade but in white.”

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

She set a world record of 91 fire-eating extinguishes a minute while blindfolded. Photo: Feather Photography

She then moved with the troupe to London in 1997 and eventually decided to become a solo performer in 2000 but has run different team performances such as fire ballet group, Burning Bells.

She opened The Fire School in 2012 to take a break from performing and focus on teaching people who wanted to learn or improve their skills.

She said: “I was being asked by a lot of people to teach them about fire arts and I said no for years out of fear of creating more competition.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Sarah Harman's main trick is eating fire whilst blindfolded photo: Feather Photography

“I didn’t want fire eating doubles but when I hit 35 I realised I was sharing the stage with performers who were also being unsafe and felt a responsibility to help them with knowledge.”

Other fire performers at Ms Harman's Fire School were also able to set world records after Guinness World Record approached the school in November last year.

Isobel Midnight achieved the most fire-eating extinguishes in one minute - 78. She also a shared record with Lady Noelia who both achieved the most alternate fire extinguishes in one minute - 73.

Roman Ackley set the world record for the most double jelly fish extinguishes in one minute - 24 - and the most single jellyfish extinguishes in one minute - 34. The jellyfish extinguish is a fire extinguishing technique where the torch is moved up and then down, the flames become jellyfish-shaped before it is put out.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Ms Harman set up her school back in 2012 photo: JME-PHOTOART

Ms Harman's classes cover body burning, fire eating and fire breathing.

She said: “Some may think that the risk can put you off but in my classes I make sure to be really careful not just for myself but for my students.

“The thing people know about is that they will learn the safest way. The main focus of my school is keeping everyone safe.

“As a performer and mentor, I make sure to limit my exposure to certain fuels and eat anti-oxidant foods and just take care of myself.

“The biggest risk is the smoke, fire and fuel. Our lungs are the most sensitive. You can get minor burns on your hands which heal and if you burn your mouth it can take up to 48 hours to heal.”