In pictures: Bournemouth Air Festival 2024

The Starlings Aerobatic team made their debut at Bournemouth in 2023

The 16th Bournemouth Air Festival has drawn to a close with attention now turning to the future of the event.

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the town's beaches on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to watch the free displays.

BCP Council, which has withdrawn funding for 2025 and beyond, says it is in talks with several potential new organisers.

It said a future operator could choose to pause the festival next year while it works to "plan and refresh" the event for 2026.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster performed a low pass along the seafront

The Army's Red Devils parachute team landed on the beach

This year's event was scaled down to three days from the usual four as the council looked to reduce its financial commitments.

Displays included festival favourite Rich Goodwin, who performed stomach-churning aerobatics in his custom-built Jet Pitts stunt plane.

Rich Goodwin's Jet Pitts has become a firm favourite among spectators

Hundreds of thousands of people watched the free air show from the beach

With the Red Arrows on tour in Canada, fast jet action came in the shape of the Swedish Air Force Viggen and Draken duo debut, along with the more familiar RAF Typhoon performance.

The Army's Red Devils parachute team performed beach landings although their final display of the weekend on Saturday had to be cancelled.

The iconic Spitfire was among the World War Two-era air displays

Army tanks were among the ground displays on the beach

The air festival ended with a fireworks display at 22:00 BST on Saturday.

Dozens of people have taken to social media urging BCP Council to ensure the event continues, including former Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood, who posted on X: "This amazing flagship family event (that’s taken years to establish) not only boosts our local economy (£40m) but it now helps define our town! Let's make sure it’s back next year!"

Swedish fighter jets - the Saab Viggen and Saab Draken - were new additions to the line-up

The RAF Typhoon is a regular attraction at Bournemouth Air Festival