This year's Southport Air Show won't take place this year due to continued uncertainty over large scale events.

Sefton Council has made the difficult decision to cancel the popular event, which was set to take place in July, despite months of hard work and planning by the authority’s Tourism team and partners.

It said: "While this decision has not been taken lightly, we know that thousands of people visit to see our air show and Sefton Council continues to put the safety and wellbeing of our communities and visitors first throughout the COVID-19 pandemic."

Owing to the large scale of planning and preparations required for an event as large as Southport Air Show, work began in late 2020 with the aim of delivering the spectacular and jaw dropping weekend of aerial displays that's an icon of Southport’s events calendar.

A number of factors have been considered in the decision, including safety of visitors and staff as well as the availability and quality of aircraft available.

Anyone who has already purchased a ticket for the show, which was set to take place in July, will automatically receive a full refund within ten working days.

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “The decision to cancel The Air Show has not been taken lightly.

“Keeping our visitors, communities, staff and partners safe remains paramount and is just one of a number of factors being at the forefront of this decision.

“At this time there is no certainty that the event would be allowed to take place on the scale that such an iconic event deserves.

“We have also taken the decision to delay the Southport Food & Drink Festival until later this year and will confirm a new date as soon as we can.

“While this is disappointing news to us all, we continue to do everything we can to bring incredible and amazing events back to our borough and we are working hard towards hosting the British Musical Fireworks Championship (September 24 to September 26) and a rearranged Southport Food and Drink Festival at Victoria Park, Southport.”

Southport and Sefton has 22 miles of coastline, with cultural highlights that include Anthony Gormley’s Another Place, the most independent eateries and restaurants outside London, plus a brand new food and drink market and lots of outdoor space for you to enjoy safely this summer.

Find out more about visiting Southport or Visit Southport’s current situation with coronavirus (Covid-19)