A MINI airshow is set to return to Southend this summer with the Red Arrows once again set to fill the skies when the famous planes are again based at the city’s airport.

Southend Airport played host to the Red Arrows last summer, as well as other famous RAF aircraft, when it was used as base for the planes featuring in the Eastbourne Airbourne Show.

Residents dubbed the activity a “mini airshow” as the sight and sound of the RAF aircraft roaring over the city led to calls for Southend’s airshow – which ended in 2012 – to return.

Now the famous Red Arrows display team are expected to return to the airport again in August.

Kevin Buck, Conservative councillor responsible for highways, transport and parking, welcomed the news, as well as hinting that the new council administration could look at bringing back an official airshow.

He added: “It is excellent news that the Red Arrows have chosen the wonderful Southend to have as their base for the airshows.

“One of the things the new Conservative administration is looking at is how we can reinstate an airshow or some form of it in Southend. But this is still excellent news.

“It would be amazing if we could get something like an airshow back again. We are exploring opportunities to have some sort of an airshow, but what this will be and look like, we don’t know yet.”

The Red Arrows will be taking part in the Eastbourne Airshow from August 17 to 20, Folkestone Airshow, which is also on August 20, and the Clacton Airshow on August 24 and 25.

The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with their Lancaster and Spitfires are also expected to be based at Southend for the same airshows, along with other RAF aircraft including a Typhoon.

A spokesman for Southend Airport would not confirm whether the Red Arrows will be returning, but hinted at an exciting announcement coming on Friday on their Facebook page.

The Southend Airshow ran for 27 years until 2012.