BOURNEMOUTH Air Festival got off to a bang on Thursday morning as an army field gun signalled the official start of the four-day extravaganza.

Military top brass joined civic dignitaries to launch the eighth festival at the Highcliff Marriott hotel.

Buglers from HM Royal Marines Band Collingwood played and Royal Marines Commandos showed off their unarmed combat skills and roped down the side of the hotel.

The festival is once again the Royal Navy’s biggest public event.

Rear Admiral Graeme Mackay said: “It’s important to showcase the Navy and where it’s going in the future.

“People don’t always understand just how much trade comes by sea. It’s a complex environment and there are lot of ships.

“The public will see some of our new aircraft as well that keep our nation safe.”

Royal Marines Major General Martin Smith, Commandant General and Commander UK Amphibious Forces, added: “We will reach more than one million people over the four days.

“For us this is an opportunity to reach the public, the taxpayers of this country, who pay for us and for them to see what we do.

“It’s great to see the ships and the vehicles and the landing craft, but what we really want the public to do is to meet our people, because they are fantastic ambassadors for the UK.”

The RAF is bringing plenty to the party as usual, from the humble Tutor training plane via the Red Arrows to the front line Typhoon.

Group Captain Paul Sanger-Davies said: “This is really important for us; it’s our premier air event on the South Coast.

“We’ve got a whole list of aircraft from across the RAF inventory.”

Army Brigadier Jez Bennett said he was pleased that the army was getting more involved – with the RAF and Royal Navy seen as being more in front of spectators.

“The Army, whether we’re tank drivers or accountants, we’re soldiers first and soldiering is about people and the interaction between people, so this is such a good opportunity for local people that have a question or a point to make or a joke that they want to share to talk to our people,” he said.

Bournemouth’s director of tourism, Mark Smith, added: “The reaction from most people is ‘hasn’t this been here for the last 20 or 30 years?’ “It seems like such an established event. The military realises the significance of it and when times are tough and budgets are tight, to be backing this shows they value Bournemouth.

“There is a real family welcome for them.”