Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Bournemouth Air Festival

AVIATION enthusiasts will wing their way to Bournemouth next week for the town's annual air festival.

This year's event, running from Thursday 1st September to Sunday 4th September, has been renamed the Platinum Jubilee Bournemouth Air Festival in honour of the Queen's 70th year on the throne.

Hurn airport is a popular place for plane-spotters to snap take-offs and landings, and many will soar over the New Forest on their way to and from the festival.

There will be aerial displays by the Tigers army parachute display team and the Red Arrows as well as Spitfires, Lancasters and Hurricanes from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

On land, festival-goers can visit the armed forces villages to meet personnel from all three services and get an up-close view of a Challenger 2 tank. The Royal Navy village will feature a dive tank.

The Royal Marine band will sound a beat retreat sunset ceremony on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings in Bournemouth's Lower Gardens with a final performance by them on Sunday morning.

At sea, a Sunseeker Hawk 38 high performance day boat will race against an aerobatic G-JPIT biplane in a Sea and Sky Sprint on Saturday and Sunday.

A fleet of P2000 Royal Navy training and patrol vessels will also be out on the water during the festival.

Cllr Beverley Dunlop, BCP Council's cabinet member for tourism, culture and vibrant places, said: “Now in its 14th year, Bournemouth Air Festival is the biggest date in the area’s calendar.

“This platinum jubilee year the festival is not only a chance for residents and visitors alike to celebrate, it also represents a major opportunity to showcase local businesses and for traders to get in front of consumers."