Hayley MaceHeavy downpours marked a damp start to Lowestoft's 14th Seafront Air Festival today.The two day event, which kicked off at lunchtime, features many of the world's most famous aircraft, including the Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the only flying Avro Vulcan.Hayley Mace

Heavy downpours marked a damp start to Lowestoft's 14th Seafront Air Festival today.

The two day event, which kicked off at lunchtime, features many of the world's most famous aircraft, including the Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the only flying Avro Vulcan.

Although there were a few brighter spells and many people set up camp on the resort's beach, umbrellas and raincoats were the order of the day for most people with heavy and thundery showers and low cloud limiting visibility.

The Tigers parachute display team, who were meant to start the festival, did not jump and the Hawker Hunter, which was unserviceable, was replaced by the Cassut Racers but it is hoped that the rest of the displays will go ahead as planned.

Festival managing director Paul Bayfield said: 'I've been absolutely amazed and really humbled that even though the weather has been inclement to say the least - and dire to say the worst - people have still come out in their hundreds of thousands to support us.'

Joanne and Stephen James, from Gorleston, said: 'We've come for the last couple of years and always enjoyed it. It's a real shame about the weather, but we've brought umbrellas so we're just trying to dodge the spots.'