THE air show is a great event. Hundreds of thousands have great days out.

But surely we cannot ignore the serious risks and dangers?

The air accident at Sandbanks Ferry crossing Saturday evening, the wing walker was “petrified and screaming”.

She was clearly deeply traumatised. By-standers were deeply distressed.

But for BCP Council in statements the crew are “safe and well”.

Yes a huge relief no-one was killed – worst case scenario. But safe and well?

As ever for councils the gloss paint comes out.

The issue here, as it has been for a dozen years, is not the pilots and air crews, it is BCP council signing off large numbers of aircraft flying low level over our towns. The worst of it ear-splitting military jets.

Like it or not the track record of air shows is littered with accidents and disasters.

For these reasons and more I have opposed using large jets in the air show for a dozen years.

With then jets roaring over our area on Thursday I emailed councillors saying if any of you had been in a war zone and heard low flying jets, and bombs falling, you would not be flying jets over our towns.

A cabinet councillor replied telling me they had been “in a war zone” and had “survived a bombing”. But will say no more.

For my own part, for the record, it is seeing bombing in Vietnam in 1970, first hand, and the devastation left in Korea from mass bombing, that leaves me implacably opposed to using terrifying weapons of war for entertainment.

This time a light aircraft crashed, what next before BCP council accepts you can’t run any number of festivals without exposing the local population to risk and danger, and loss of life.

JEFF WILLIAMS

Jubilee Road, Poole