ORGANISERS of this year's tenth anniversary Bournemouth Air Festival have announced two last minute additions to the bumper flying line-up.

Making its first ever Bournemouth appearance will be the mighty Bristol Blenheim, an aircraft which bore the brunt of the Second World War's early bombing effort.

In 1939 the RAF had 1,089 Blenheim bombers in service - today the Bristol Blenheim MK1 is the only flying example left in the world.

Also announced for Bournemouth this year is the return of the Yakovlevs, a Somerset-based six-aircraft formation and display team who have being performing at air show for 18 years.

Air Festival Jon Weaver said: "We have achieved so much over the years, the highs and lows, awards and challenges. We can't wait for this summer's tenth event and, with our plan for more planes and more hours, we hope everyone enjoys what is planned."

The last time the Yakovlevs were at Bournemouth Air Festival was in 2008 and 2009, when they wowed crowds packed along the clifftops and beaches.

Since those appearances the team has notched up some impressive feats - including breaking China Central Television (CCTV) viewing figure records with more than 380 million spectators over a five day period performing at Faku, on the North Korean border, for the first ever AOPA China Airday.

A spokesman for the team said: "Consummate believers in pushing the boundaries of high performance, The Yakovlevs exude the highest standards in every aspect of their operation.

"The team is a specialist airborne display team flying authentic Cold War Russian war-bird aircraft in precise, yet graceful combinations of tight formations and exciting aerobatics, high speed passes and breathtaking crosses."

The Blenheim is just one of many aircraft restored and operated by the Aircraft Restoration Company (ARC), based at Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire.

ARC volunteers put in more than 25,000 man hours to help the rebuild, and the Blenheim Society was relentless in its fundraising efforts.

The Bournemouth Air Festival takes place from August 31 to September 3.