THE Southend Airshow & Military Festival has been postponed until 2015.

A funding shortfall has lead organisers to postpone this year's inaugural event.

They say they have been unable to raise the final £35,000 required to secure the show.

John Delaney and Thomas Curtis received final approval from Southend Council  to run the airshow in July.

The pair stepped in after Southend Council said it could no longer afford to run the popular annual event.

In less than a year the team raised £185,000 sourced from sponsors including Headline Toomey Motor Group.

Thomas Curtis said: “Though it's undoubtedly a sad day for myself and the team, postponing the event to 2015 does not remove the achievements we have made this year.

"From the creation of Southend Airshow CIC, ‘Gibson’ the Airshow Bear and raising an amazing £185,000 in just nine months. This is combined with the massive success we have found found on Facebook, where we have in excess of 23,000 supporters making us one of the largest, if not the largest Airshow Facebook page in the country.”

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