This year's Folkestone Airshow has been cancelled.

The event was due to take place on The Leas and in the harbour area on Saturday, June 8.

A full programme had been planned, including aerobatics, displays by stunt planes and fly-pasts by Second World War aircraft.

But in a statement on the event's Facebook page, organiser Yvonne Holder said: "It is with great sadness, that we have to confirm that Folkestone Airshow will not take place.

"After a very difficult few weeks, the hard decision has been taken to cancel Folkestone Airshow for a number of factors.

"We will continue to look into the financial viability of continuing the work already completed, to see if it is at all possible of postponing until 2014 and to carry forward the commitment of our sponsors and organisations who have supported Folkestone Airshow into 2014.

"We will continue to contact those personally involved over the next few days with further information and a full news release will be issued early next week.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support for Folkestone Airshow and I do hope that you will continue to support us into 2014."

Chris Kirkham, manager of the Discover Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh tourism marketing organisation and a member of the Airshow planning group, said that the event had been expected to attract up to 100,000 visitors and had the potential to give a multi-million pound boost to shops and tourism-related businesses in and around Folkestone.

He said: “The cancellation of this high-profile crowd-puller is hugely disappointing, but the rest of Shepway’s summer-long line-up of festivals and events will ensure that visitors and residents enjoy plenty of great entertainment”.

Visit www.folkestoneairshow.com for more information.