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Red Arrows will not appear at Bournemouth Air Festival 2019

Bournemouth Air Festival The Red Arrows at BournemouthBournemouth Air Festival
The display team will miss the show in Bournemouth next year

Organisers of the annual air festival in Bournemouth have confirmed the Red Arrows will not be taking part in next year's event.

The Lincolnshire-based aerial display team will be on a nine-week visit of North America.

Air festival organisers said: "We're disappointed and hope the Royal Air Force will allocate us some good assets to keep our fans happy."

The event normally features three displays from the Red Arrows.

Organisers said they were aware this could happen and were "planning to book some great assets" for the festival.

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Many have posted their reaction to the announcement on social media.

Steve Phillips posted: "Much wailing and gnashing of teeth in Bournemouth."

Nigel Warnke also expressed his disappointment at the news online: "A tour before the end of the domestic display season? A great shame for Bournemouth."

Others are hopeful organisers will find an alternative crowd pleaser.

Writing on Facebook, Claudia Moore said: "Such amazing shows last year maybe the Typhoon will appear next year I'd be more than happy with that!"

Others have called for the Patrulla Águila, the aerobatic demonstration team of the Spanish Air Force, or the Breitling Jet Team to take their place at the show.

Egging memorial
This memorial, designed by schoolchildren, pays tribute to a Red Arrows pilot who died in a crash at the air festival

The seaside town features a memorial to 33-year-old Red Arrows pilot, Flt Lt Jon Egging, who died following a display at the air festival in 2011.

The sculpture, featuring three glass Red Arrows planes and stainless steel contrails, was designed by local schoolchildren and unveiled in August 2012.

It has recently been moved following a cliff landslip and now stands at the of the East Cliff Zig-Zag path.

The four-day annual event, which is run by Bournemouth council, is due to take place from 29 August to 1 September.