As the second Bournemouth Air Festival draws to a close, tourism bosses have declared the four day event “an unprecedented success”.

With an estimated 1.2 million flocking to Bournemouth’s beaches and some of the best flying displays in world, the festival has become the biggest free event of its kind in the UK.

Highlights included the Sally B Flying Fortress, The Royal Marines Combat Display, The RAF Falcon Display Team, The Blades, as well as the Kitty Hawk, Chinook and Guinot Wing-walkers. Nostalgia was flown in with three iconic aircraft that were instrumental part in winning the Second World War – the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster bomber.

But the big moments came towards the end of the day as the Vulcan, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Red Arrows thrilled the record crowds crammed onto the cliff tops and beaches.

Next year’s festival is due to take place on Thursday to Sunday August 19-22, 2010.