Herne Bay air show could return in spectacular fashion with a stunning TWO-DAY event in 2018.

Leaders at the BayPromoTeam, who brought about 80,000 spectators to the town for August’s display, are looking at how they might be in a position to expand the event to a weekend-long spectacle.

The air show hit national headlines in the summer when a plane ditched in the sea near Bishopstone Glen.

Senior organiser Gerald McCarthy said: “We are still under discussions for next year, but it is going to be tight, and we don’t have much time to get applications in, and don’t have assurances of funding for next year.

“I am not saying we would be in a position to do a two-day event in 2018 yet, but it is something we could do.

“Other major air shows do it, and it is feasible to come back with two days – we would have to make sure there are provisions in place in terms of funding, stewarding and aircraft to make it possible.”

Mr McCarthy said that £25,000 worth of funding available to organisers for this year’s event will not re-surface in 2017.

He added: “There’s a large shortfall in what’s needed to stage the event next year, and we’re talking to people and businesses to see if it can be filled.

“If not, we’ll do what we can for 2018, but we’ve not quite given up yet for 2017.”

Air show bosses met with city council officials last week to discuss this year’s show following the crash.

Mr McCarthy said: “The upshot was that our event management plan was very good.

“It is standard procedure after any sort of major incident to review it.

“The outcome was that everyone was happy with the event and the emergency response.

"We came away from that meeting even more confident in our own ability to deliver an event of this scale.”