Welshpool Air Show to go ahead next year as Red Arrows invited

Welshpool Air Show will go ahead again next year and organisers are hoping the world-famous Red Arrows will agree to appear again.

John Morgan, one of the event's organisers, said committee members had agreed to hold the event again next year on June 17, despite the show suffering a number of setbacks this year.

He added a request for the Red Arrows to appear had been submitted and said the event attracted people from miles around to the town and called on people to get behind next year's event.

This year's show in June was badly affected by low cloud and rain, causing many flights to be cancelled and the planned Red Arrows display to be curtailed. The Arrows did fly over but were barely visible through the low cloud.

Mr Morgan said: "We have decided to go ahead again despite the setbacks and Squadron Leader Albi Fox, the RAF community relations manager for Wales, has put in a request for the Red Arrows," said Mr Morgan.

"We are hoping that the our plight this year with the weather will be appreciated by the Arrows and that they will agree to visit Welshpool in June.

"The air show is a very popular event for the town and something that brings people from far and wide so it is great that we can hold it again next year.

"It is important that the show goes on and that it becomes a permanent feature in the calendar of events for Welshpool."

Following this year's event, may residents complained that they wouldn't be attending again due to the cost of parking – £8 per car – and others were critical of a free shuttle bus from the town centre, despite it providing free admission to the event.

Earlier this year Mr Morgan hit back at those who had complained, saying: "As a member of the organising committee, who was also bitterly disappointed that the show did not go on, I tend to ask why do I bother?

"The organising committee have struggled over the last year to put together a credible programme on a very limited budget," he added.