A record 220,000 people attended the Clacton Airshow over the last two days – leaving organisers content that they had made the right decision to host the event so soon after recent tragic events.

With just under 100,000 people turning out on Thursday and 120,000 yesterday, Nigel Brown, spokesman for organisers Tendring District Council, said it had been a “fantastic” two days of action over the north Essex coast.

He said: “We were aware that some people would think we shouldn’t have gone ahead because of Shoreham but we did take that into account.

“It’s the signature event of the town and the district and brings £5.5million into the town that we wouldn’t otherwise have. I

seriously think there were a few people coming out to support the next show after Shoreham, that they still had faith in air shows, and that’s with no disrespect to what happened in Shoreham.”

Yesterday saw the Red Arrows and a Typhoon aircraft make return visits to the show after displays on Thursday.

Also appearing were the Flying Fortress ‘Sally B’, Chinook helicopters and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.