TICKETS have gone on for sale for next year’s Skylive Airshow at Durham Tees Valley Airport with organisers pledging it will be “bigger and better” than before.

An early bird offer means those booking for the event, on May 27 next year, before January will receive a ten per cent discount, while tickets have been held at the same price as last year.

Last year’s event, which featured the Royal Air Force’s iconic Red Arrows and Typhoon teams, attracted about 18,000 people and was the first such airshow at the airport for 26 years.

It also featured static plane displays, an extensive vintage car collection, fairground rides and about 20 Army and RAF stalls.

The airshow had originally been planned to take off in the summer of 2015, but was postponed in the wake of the Shoreham Airshow disaster.

Organiser and Teesside businessman Chris Petty said while details of the aircraft taking part was unlikely to be confirmed until early next year, the display would be “bigger and better” than before.

He said: “It was a massive success last year, it was a great show, and we always said there had to be a long term plan where we build it up bigger and better every year.

“People want to see more planes in the sky and we can guarantee there will be more flying displays next year.”

Mr Petty said the event had been boosted by continued backing from the Armed Forces who had pledged to use it as one of their main recruiting days.

However he said an evening concert which featured the likes of Toploader and dance act Livin’ Joy had been a disappointment and would not return next year.

He said: “People were not really interested, they had spent all day at the airshow and went at home at tea time.

“We spent thousands and thousands to stage it and expected 2,000 to 3,000 would stay back, but it didn’t work.”

Mr Petty said the earlier that tickets were sold, the easier it would be to plan issues such as managing traffic in and out of the site and any required security measures.

  • For more information and to buy tickets go to www.skyliveevents.co.uk
  • Early bird general admission tickets cost less than £15, while family tickets are also available. Children under five go free.