THE dramatic sight of watching the Tigers Freefall Team hurtle towards the ground at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour has thrilled crowds at this year's air festival.

Photographer Rob Fleming was invited on board their flight on Saturday afternoon, before the team jumped from the plane and down to the packed Bournemouth beach.

Lance Corporal Jake Manwaring, who has been with the Tigers for four years, is ending his time with the team today. "Bournemouth Air Show is always special because of the number of people watching the displays," he said.

"When we're coming in to land, when the sun is shining on the golden beach, we can here the crowd clapping, cheering and it is overwhelming. You feel a little warm inside. There is a real appreciation of what we do."

The team of expert skydivers show pinpoint accuracy in their routines to land within yards of, if not directly on, a small target.

LCpl Manwaring said the Tigers do at least 60 jumps in training at the start of the year to refine each discipline of the jump.

"The crew discipline where the guys smashing their canopies together are doing it as safely as they can because it is a dangerous thing we do," he added.

"If something was to go wrong we are entangled, but because we do it to such a high standard we're able to pull off some really great tricks.

"The first time you jump out of the plane you feel like Superman.

"When the shoot opens you are under deployment, everything slows down and at 2,000ft you can hear the crowd. You get the opportunity to have a good look around and see what is below you.

"Over the four days we get to show off the best we can do. We do something different every single day and it is fun to wake up and do something new for everyone who is down at the beach."

The Tigers kick off today's displays at the Bournemouth Air Festival, with the team jumping from around 1pm.