Hundreds of thousands turn out for 28th Sunderland International Airshow

The Red Arrows at Sunderland Airshow. Picture by Anthony Pickering.

Amid dry and warm weather, Roker and Seaburn seafronts in the city were packed with families eager to see this year’s programme of events.

Highlights on Saturday saw the Falcons parachute display team, the OV-10 Bronco, the Battle of Britain Memorial featuring Spitfire planes and always popular Red Arrows.

The Red Arrows at Sunderland Airshow. Picture by Glenn Greenhalgh.

The RAF Typhoon 35 rounded off the day’s events shortly after 5pm.

Click here to follow our live blog of this year’s Sunderland International AirshowMayor of Sunderland Councillor Alan Emerson, who met the Tigers display team after they jumped from a plane thousands of feet high to land on Seaburn beach, told the Echo: “Today has been absolutely amazing and I think it puts Sunderland on the map.

“I was talking to some people from London who said they couldn’t believe that this event is free when it costs £50 to get into anything like this if you live there.

“It just shows you what a magnificent, magnificent event this is for our city.

The Red Arrows at Sunderland Airshow. Picture by Wanda Stockdale.

“You can see from the Tigers display, it was unbelievable and so spectacular.

“I’ve just been talking to the guys there and they were saying how much they enjoy seeing the huge crowds from goodness knows how high.

“They’re saying it gives them a buzz to see all those people which is great for Sunderland and for them it’s absolutely brilliant.”

Tomorrow will see plenty more displays at the seafront, with the Blades, the Twister Duo, the Vortex 525 and a Mig 15 set to feature.

The weather is expected to be cloudy with a 50% chance of rain forceast from 4pm onwards.