Organisers of Sussex's largest free air show today revealed that the Royal Jordanian Falcons will be the opening act this year.

It will be the first time the late King Hussein of Jordan's aerobatics team has performed at Eastbourne's Airbourne spectacular.

Crews will raise the curtain on the four-day event on August 14 on Eastbourne seafront in front of tens of thousands of spectators.

They will fly Extra 300 aircraft at the event, which will mark the final leg of their European summer tour taking in Austria, Belgium, Germany andFrance.

Airbourne is the largest air show on the South Coast and Eastbourne's most lucrative tourist event.

It drew more than 650,000 visitors to Eastbourne last year, generating more than £2 million for the resort's economy.

Organisers had asked British Airways to book Concorde for a supersonic flypast before it is pensioned off in the autumn.

But, as The Argus revealed, the plane could not take part in the event because of a rise in passenger bookings.

Headlining once again this year will be the elite RAF Red Arrows who will perform on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

A newcomer will be the Royal Navy Merlin anti-submarine helicopter, the replacement for the Sea King.

Flown normally by a crew of three, the aircraft has a top speed of 167 knots and carries four homing torpedoes or depth charges.

Appearances will also be made by a Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster, a Tornado F3 and Jaguar GR3, the RAF Falcons parachute team and the Utterly Butterly wingwalkers.

An Airbourne spokesman said: "Eastbourne Airbourne is providing something different at the annual airshow once again.

"In addition to an already busy programme, this year we are bringing a top flight display team from Jordan.

"They, along with the Red Arrows, will provide a thrilling and entertaining spectacle for the hundreds of thousands of people that will witness this year's display."

A steam locomotive will bring passengers into Eastbourne at 11.30am on the Saturday.

On arrival, a brass band will welcome them as they make their way to the event arena on the Western Lawns.