ANTICIPATION is building as Bournemouth Air Festival draws near.

The Leopard jet has been put in place at St Paul’s roundabout, signalling that there are only a matter of weeks to go before this year’s extravaganza.

The festival takes place on the seafront between August 29 and September 1 and flying fans are in for a host of thrills in the air and on land.

Among the attractions in the skies will be the legendary Red Arrows – back to a full-strength nine-ship line-up this year – as well as aerobatic teams like The Blades, historical flying from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the roar of the modern Typhoon.

On the ground the armed forces will be present in numbers, with several Royal Navy ships moored in the bay and all the drama of the beach assault.

In the evenings there will be the Night Air programme, with dusk flying, attractions in the gardens and concerts at Boscombe and Bournemouth Piers.

Air festival director Jon Weaver, said: “The jet on the roundabout is a reminder to all of us that there’s really not long to go now until the air festival, and for its sixth year we’ve got a great-looking line-up of entertainment.

“We’re delighted to have the Reds back to full strength and the Typhoon returning for three displays, which is a first for us, is something festival-goers have been wanting since it last appeared in 2010.

“The Royal Navy has surpassed themselves with the number of ships we’ll see in the bay and they have invited participation from the French Navy and the Night Air programme is bigger and better than ever.

“We have three nights of dusk air displays this year, including fantastic night jumps by the Red Devils, and our live music stages at Bournemouth and Boscombe Piers have some superb performers.”

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