BOURNEMOUTH Air Festival has been hugely successful for seven years, with huge numbers of visitors coming into the town to have a great day out, enjoying the displays and performances.

However, as we saw only too distressingly from Shoreham on Saturday evening, and in 2011 with the loss of Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging, air displays do not come without risks.

World-wide since August 2011, there have been 55 fatalities, including one of the worst in West Virginia in 2011 when 11 spectators, along with the pilot, tragically lost their lives.

The way forward now must surely be an end to display jets flying over our towns. That is not to say "no" to an air festival with the beach and sea displays, but if major jets are to participate, I hope all authorities agree no flying and manoeuvring over land and towns.

And that said, I am appalled Bournemouth council has to be told there are self-evident serious dangers allowing low level jets over populated areas.

It surely could not be clearer: Aircraft, at speeds up to 600 mph, pushing machines to their limits, have no space for error. This is all the more terrifying within hundreds of feet off the ground.

Personally, I would be very glad to never see or hear a military bomber or fighter over our towns ever again. But iIf they are to fly then, for safety, they must surely be out over the sea with the lowest level of risk possible to spectators and residents.

JEFF WILLIAMS

Jubilee Road, Poole