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More than 100,000 saw Blackpool's airshow (gallery)
TOURISM bosses say more than 100,000 visitors flooded into Blackpool for the resort's bumper weekend.
The huge number of fun-seekers enjoyed the resort's air show and the punk festival making it one of the most successful weekends in recent times.
Visitors packed onto the new headlands and the Spanish Steps to get the best view of aerial acrobatics, including the display by the Red Arrows while concessions on the piers said it was the busiest trading day "for over 20 years".
Blackpool Council events organiser Mike Chadwick said more than 100,000 people had flocked to the town – lining the coast all the way from the cliffs near the Norbreck Castle to the Pleasure Beach in South Shore.
He said: "It was a very, very busy day. The headlands and the Spanish Steps acted as natural grandstands for the spectators.
"But the crowds were not only in the main areas, but were up on the cliffs as far as the Norbreck Castle.
"It was also reported to us that at one point all three lanes of the M55 coming into Blackpool were full."
Coun Maxine Callow, cabinet member for regeneration and tourism on Blackpool Council, described the day as "fantastic."
She said: "The weather was perfect and it was a free event which was enjoyed not just by visitors but by residents as well, which is also very important to us.
"The air show was another success for Blackpool and something we can build on. I would like to thank everyone involved in organising it.
"Even if Sunday's visitors only came for this, they will have seen there is so much to do in Blackpool and hopefully they will come back and stay longer."
As well as the Red Arrows, other highlights of the show included demonstrations by the RAF and RNLI search and rescue helicopter, a wing-walking display, the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the rare sight of a restored Vulcan Bomber taking to the skies.
Spectators also watched the action from the piers which notched up record visitor numbers.
Paul Picton, general manager of South Pier, said: "Both Central and South Piers enjoyed record numbers of visitors.
"All the businesses reported exceptional trading figures as a result of the volume of people in the resort to watch the air show. Some of the concessionaires commented they hadn't seen a day as busy as yesterday for more than 20 years."
However most of the visitors were believed to be day-trippers.
The punk festival also attracted thousands of people to three days of music in the Winter Gardens.
Pat Francioni, of the Alumhurst Hotel on Charnley Road, said: "Our hotel was full of people who were here for the punk festival and I suspect the air show was mainly day-trippers.
"But it was still wonderful to see the town so busy and hopefully these are people who will come back and stay in future."
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Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
