For more than thirty years crowds of excited spectators have packed out the Sunderland coast for the city’s infamous air show.

But now spectators will no longer have the chance to enjoy the spectacle in the skies after the event was axed for good.

Sunderland Council announced yesterday (October 17) that it had no plans for the airshow to go ahead in the future, as part of its plans to become carbon neutral by 2040.

Read more: Sunderland Airshow axed for good leaving fans disappointed

Councillor Graeme Miller, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said the council’s commitment to tackle the global climate emergency makes it “harder to justify” the event and other similar to it.

Following the disappointing news for fans of the airshow, we’ve taken a look back through our Northern Echo archives at some of the best pictures of the past few years of the show.

Here are 15 pictures from Sunderland airshow over the years

The Northern Echo: 2018 - The red arrows fly over Sunderland's Northern Spire bridge for the first time. Picture: NNP2018 - The red arrows fly over Sunderland's Northern Spire bridge for the first time. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

The Northern Echo: 2015 - An RAF Falcons parachute display. Picture: TOM BANKS2015 - An RAF Falcons parachute display. Picture: TOM BANKS (Image: TOM BANKS)

The Northern Echo: An RAF helicopter takes to the skies for a display in 2019. Picture: NNPAn RAF helicopter takes to the skies for a display in 2019. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

The Northern Echo: Crowds gather for the 2015 show. Picture: TOM BANKSCrowds gather for the 2015 show. Picture: TOM BANKS (Image: TOM BANKS)

The Northern Echo: The red arrows at the 2015 airshow. Picture: NNPThe red arrows at the 2015 airshow. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

The Northern Echo: 2019 - Crowds descend on Roker for the airshow. Picture: NNP2019 - Crowds descend on Roker for the airshow. Picture: NNP

The Northern Echo: 2017 - One of the aerial displays. Picture: NNP2017 - One of the aerial displays. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

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The Northern Echo: A band perform at the 2015 event. Picture: TOM BANKSA band perform at the 2015 event. Picture: TOM BANKS (Image: TOM BANKS)

The Northern Echo: One of the displays in 2017. Picture: NNPOne of the displays in 2017. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

The Northern Echo: Sunderland Airshow 2015. Picture: TOM BANKSSunderland Airshow 2015. Picture: TOM BANKS (Image: TOM BANKS)

The Northern Echo: Crowds gathered for the airshow in 2019. Picture: NNPCrowds gathered for the airshow in 2019. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

The Northern Echo: A wing walker at the 2017 Airshow. Picture: NNPA wing walker at the 2017 Airshow. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

The Northern Echo: 2018 - The Red Arrows played a key part of the event. Picture: NNP2018 - The Red Arrows played a key part of the event. Picture: NNP (Image: NNP)

The Northern Echo: Two parachutists take to the skies in 2017. Picture: PATwo parachutists take to the skies in 2017. Picture: PA (Image: PA)

The Northern Echo: The red arrows display in 2015. Picture: TOM BANKSThe red arrows display in 2015. Picture: TOM BANKS (Image: TOM BANKS)

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