Joy as Red Arrows return to base themselves at Blackpool airport

The Reds are due in the resort late on Friday ahead of the Blackpool Airshow this weekend where they will be closing the show on both days for the first time.

The RAF’s finest have not been able to base themselves at the airport for some time following the temporary closure of the airport in October 2014 and its re-opening with reduced fire and emergency cover.

But the airport operating company has been working hard to make sure the cover is back to allow the display team and the other aviation attractions at the two day show to land at Squires Gate.

Victoria English from Hangar 3 Blackpool Ltd which has worked with the Airport to welcome the Red Arrows, said everyone was delighted they were back.

She said: “This is brilliant news for the airport and for Blackpool.

“The airport management have been working hard to ensure they have all the cover back in place and we are all very excited.

“The Red Arrows will be based here and the Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

“I know the pilots from the Red Arrows are delighted to be based here once again. Over the past three years they have had to fly in from other, much more busy airports and it was more difficult.”

She said they would also be hosting the Typhoons, Breitling Wing Walkers, the aerobatic display groups Team Twister, The Blades the Yak, Strikemaster and the Chipmunk.

She added: "The Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will be parked at Stand 2 and the Typhoon at stand 1. We will be ferrying the engineers and crew to them over the weekend.

"It is very important to Blackpool to have them all based here and shows that the airport is open for business. Even many local people still think it is still closed, but that is far from the case."