HEAVY rain, thunder and lightning dampened the start of the famous Lowestoft Air Festival today, but thousands of people still turned out to enjoy the show.

Hundreds of thousands of people braved heavy rain and thunderstorms to watch some of the world’s most famous aircraft at the Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival today.

Organisers estimate that about 160,000 people made their way to the seafront to watch nearly five hours of flying displays.

Festival managing director Paul Bayfield said that the Avro Vulcan and Red Arrows had been favourites with the crowd, as always.

“When the Vulcan hit on full throttle, or almost full throttle, that was just breathtaking,” he said.

He said he is hoping for better weather and good crowds again tomorrow.

As well as heavy rain and thunderstorms, there were even reports of a funnel cloud which passed south of Lowestoft near Pakefield.

A spokesman for UEA-based Weatherquest said they did not have confirmation of a funnel cloud, but that the weather conditions made such an event possible.

Highlights included formation displays from The Blades, wingwalking by Team Breitling and daring aerobatics by the Matadors Red Bull air race team with reigning air race world champion Paul Bonhomme, as well as ground displays, games and exhibitions on the Royal Green.

The Yak 52s formation team, which features six Russian-designed two-seater aircraft, returned to Lowestoft for the first time since 2004 and performed synchronised aerobatics over the beach.

Tomorrow’s flying starts at 12.30pm with the Red Arrows.

Friday’s provisional flying programme:-

12.30pm RAFAT Red Arrows

1pm Grob Tutor

1.10pm Twister x2

1.20pm Extra 300 x4 The Blades

1.37pm Bolkow BK117

1.57pm Dornier Alphajet x2

2.08pm Sea King Search and Rescue helicopter / Lowestoft lifeboat display

2.30pm Sukhoi 26 x2

2.44pm Antonov AN2

2.55pm Spitfire Mk 1X

3.07pm Shorts Tucano

3.18pm Hawker Hunter

3.42pm Dakota, Spitfire and Hurricane in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

4pm Avro Vulcan

4.11pm Swift, Pawnee, Twister

4.22pm Beach King Air

4.33pm Stearman x2 Team Breitling wingwalkers

4.50pm Yak 52 x6

5.07pm Tigers parachute display