The countdown has begun to the spectacular Worthing Festival featuring the Red Arrows as the star attraction.

The three-day event, which starts on Friday, July 25, and runs into Saturday and Sunday, is expected to attract up to 250,000 visitors to the town.

Crowd-pullers include flypasts, fireworks, a parachute display, a free concert starring The Real Thing and an air-sea rescue demonstration.

Profits from the festival will go towards the St Barnabas Hospice/Chestnut Tree House Appeal.

Worthing town centre manager Sharon Clarke said: "This event is a real community effort and no public money has been used in staging it.

"Worthing Borough Council has kindly allowed the money for the rentals of the sites to be used to provide the fireworks, flying and parachute displays.

"The event has also been sponsored by Splash FM who will be holding a free concert in Steyne Gardens on Saturday, July 26, and they have been helped to finance this by Seeboard and B&W Speakers.

"Gamble Jarvis and Wenban Smith have also kindly offered financial help. The organising committee would like to thank all the sponsors for their support to run this event for Worthing."

After months of planning, organisers have now unveiled a timetable of attractions (timings approximate and weather permitting):

From Wednesday, July 23: Stevens funfair, seafront, 2.30pm to 11pm.

*Friday, July 25: Craft and gift market, Marine Parade, 10am to 5pm; Red Arrows, over the sea, 12.30pm; RAF Tornado, over the sea, 2pm; children's rides, Montague Place, 2.30pm to 11pm; Boundstone Band, Steyne Gardens, 7.30pm to dusk; fireworks, end of pier, 10pm to 10.45pm.

Saturday, July 26: Pet show, Broadwater Green,10am-1pm; fire station open day, Broadwater Green, 10am to 4pm; craft and gift market, Marine Parade, 10am to 11 pm; Worthing Together exhibition, Steyne Gardens, 11pm to 5pm; cricket match, Broadwater Green, 1pm onwards; commercial market, between the Lido and Heene Road, 2pm to 11pm; helicopter rides, The Plantation, 2pm to 6pm; RAF Tornado, 2pm; Lancaster, 2.15 pm; Jaguar, 2.30 pm; Hawk, 2.40pm; charity market, by Lido, 3pm to 10pm; Coastguards and lifeboat air-sea rescue display, between pier and Splash Point, 4pm; Splash FM concert, Steyne Gardens, 7.30pm to 11 pm.

Sunday, July 27: bus rally, West Parade, 10am to 5pm; craft and gift market, Marine Parade, 10am to 5pm; Salvation Army Service, promenade by the pier, 10.30am; American and custom car show, Steyne Gardens, noon to 5pm; helicopter rides, The Plantation, 2pm to 6pm; RAF Jaguar, 2.30 pm; RAF Hawk, 2.40pm; Black Knights parachute display, near Splash Point, 3.15pm.

There will also be drama shows by Davison School pupils in South Street on Saturday and Sunday. The funfair continues until Sunday, August 3.