Doomed air show on Shropshire border to take off once again
The future of a fundraising air show that was in danger of folding after losing its venue has been secured after a new home was found in Shropshire.
The Wings and Wheels shows held twice a year will be rebranded as Bridgnorth Wings and Wheels after a new site was secured in Chetton, to the west of the town.
The two-day Easter show on March 27 and 28 will be the first event of its kind held on land offered by site owner Roy Millington. Future shows will also take place there, organisers have said.
It comes after bosses at Wolverhampton Airport at Halfpenny Green near the Shropshire border pulled out of hosting the shows.
The show's website was bombarded with comments after it was revealed last month that the airport was no longer willing to host the popular show.
Event organiser Vaughan Meers said he was "over the moon" at the news that a new site had been found.
The Wheels and Wings shows raise thousands of pounds for charities every year.
A resident Hawker Harrier jet fighter on the site will taxi visitors to the Easter event up and down the airstrip.
About 5,000 people flocked to last year's August bank holiday event, which starred The Red Arrows and raised £9,000 for charity.
It was the Wings and Wheels' sixth consecutive year at the Bobbington site. Mr Meers said they had been planning a special show this year to mark its 75th anniversary as an airfield.
Airport chiefs declined to give a reason for pulling out.
Speaking at the time, the airport's operations manager Alastair Mackinnon said: "The Wings and Wheels event isn't going to go ahead, that was my decision.
"We have supported the event for a number of years but we don't wish to do so at this time."
The hunt was on to find an alternative venue as close to its existing site as possible, and discussions were held with another airfield in Shropshire – Sleap Airfield, near Wem – and other sites in Worcestershire and Leicestershire.
Proceeds from the 2016 events will go to the development of Tettenhall Transport Heritage Centre, and to St Giles Church fund at Chetton.
Alec Brew, co-organiser and curator of the museum, said fans of the event had been "gutted" by its demise.
He hoped they would now rally round and support the new venue.
"The charity relies on money raised at these events for the restoration of our building," he said.
He added money raised from the air shows would help pay for repairs to the heritage centre's roof and new windows.
