In pictures: Bournemouth Air Festival draws huge crowds

Crowds watch the RAF Red Arrows display team perform over the sea

The skies above Bournemouth were filled with iconic aircraft and thrilling displays for the seaside resort's annual air festival over the weekend.

The wet weather on Thursday meant no flying was possible - but with the return of sunny skies from Friday thousands flocked to the seaside resort.

A member of the Tigers Army Parachute Display Team lands on Bournemouth beach

Crowds lined the clifftops and beaches below to watch stomach-looping aerobatic and flying displays.

The four-day festival was brought to a close by the RAF Typhoon on Sunday.

The Avro Lancaster during the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

It is held at the 1.5 mile-long (2km) stretch of beach between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers.

Unlike previous years organisers, BCP Council have not announced provisional dates for next year's festival.

A Lancaster bomber, part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, performs for the crowds

BCP Council said: "Due to the financial pressures facing the council and the services they provide we are working to explore how the event might be sustainably financed in the future.

"We will announce what next year will look like as soon as we can."

A display by the Royal Marines Viking All-Terrain Vehicles

The event, which is thought to have seen more than 600,000 people attend this year, usually costs the council £400,000.

The council said a decision on next year's festival is expected to be made by late October.

The RAF Red Arrows display team perform over the sea off Bournemouth

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