Gruesome footage shows the shocking moment a North Korean gymnast broke his neck as he tried to break the somersault world record, at circus festival Idol-2017 in Moscow, Russia.

Video shows him being bounced into the air by other performers, but he landed on his head during his second attempt at setting a world record of six somersaults in the air. He was knocked out cold and his colleagues rushed to carry him out for medical attention.

One of the circus trainers, Edgard Zapashny, disclosed to Russian media the acrobat can’t feel his hands or feet following the accident.