THERE'S a buzz of excitement in the air in Bournemouth at the moment - and I'm not talking about the planes.

Whether flying machines are your thing or whether they bore you to tears, the wealth of entertainment on offer means you can't fail to be impressed with the town's first ever air festival.

From the moment the Eurofighter Typhoon roared over the town in a practice session yesterday morning the atmosphere was electric.

And as the display time drew nearer crowds poured on to the beach, clifftop and into the gardens to watch the entertainment.

Visitors could easily spend the day wandering between the town's piers looking at the huge variety of stalls and sideshows on offer.

A full-size funfair complete with big wheel and a terrifying reverse bungee sits on the sand near Boscombe pier with rides and stalls suitable for all ages.

Kids are spoilt for choice with several giant bouncy slides, an inflatable Army assault course and simulators, not to mention a huge selection of treats including candy floss, fudge, doughnuts and sticky sweets.

Talking of food, visitors could stay for the entire four days and find a different type of food for every meal.

From Indian and Thai cuisine to burger stalls and hog roasts, people might have difficulty deciding what to have for their main course.

But when it comes to dessert it could be even trickier with crepes, pastries and ice cream all up for grabs.

And you don't even have to move from the beach to get a cold beer or a glass of wine from the bars.

For those who fancy a bit of shopping, stalls cover a wide range from jewellery, crafts, gadgets and novelties to Continental food and perfume.

Those with plenty of cash to spare may consider mini flying jackets for children for £99, a new pair of binoculars or perhaps a Mercedes!

The Armed Forces are well represented with opportunities for the public to find out about careers or perhaps just have a nosy around in a tank.

And many local businesses have taken the opportunity to promote themselves including Bournemouth Airport, Bath Travel, Bournemouth University and the Bournemouth International Centre.

Bars, restaurants and shops throughout the town are enjoying a welcome boost in trade. Evening entertainment including music and the nightly magical balloon glow will ensure thousands of people take advantage of the resort's facilities throughout the event.

But, of course, the planes are the thing and visitors turned out in their thousands to welcome them, from the slow, sweet majesty of the Lancaster Bomber to the Eurofighter Typhoon, which ripped apart the Bournemouth skies with a roar that caused more than a few toddlers to burst into tears.

Pensioners Don and Linda Warwick from London were just two who were enjoying the show. "We're down here for a few days and didn't know it was on," said Don.

"We're going to come each day now because it's fantastic. I've never seen anything like that Eurofighter, it's incredible."

And with three more days - and the Red Arrows to go - it can only get better.