BEHIND the scenes of the award-winning Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival, the efforts of hundreds of people - many of them as volunteers - often go unnoticed.

As ever the emergency services will be providing a visible presence at the two-day show, and a police spokesman said: 'As always police, along with other agencies, put a lot of preparation in ahead of the Air Festival.

'Emergency plans are tested via a table top exercise with a number of possible scenarios being worked through, while staffing and arrangements for the practicalities of the day - for example siting police 'pods' for the public and command centre roles and ensuring officers have sufficient water and so forth for the day - are put in place well in advance.

'The number of officers on duty this year will be the same as last year, and should there be the need for any further personnel - for example in an emergency, they can be drawn initially from the officers who are on normal duties in the town or from elsewhere in Suffolk if required.'

The spokesman added: 'After years of policing the Air Festival, and dealing with a range of incidents, officers work with organisers and other agencies to try to make sure the day runs smoothly.

'This year Lowestoft's former Chief Inspector, now Superintendent John Everett will return to being in charge of the event, following the retirement of Superintendent Ian Sidney, who had overseen the event in recent years.'