Organisers of RAF Waddington International Air Show have estimated that it brings £12m into the county.

And this year's event looks set to attract a record number of spectators.

And if it does, the £12m figure could grow substantially.

The show's commercial manager Danny Mellor said: "It's a big weekend for Lincolnshire and the hotels in the area.

"We take 850 rooms at the university so that goes straight into to the local economy.

"Last year we had the Spanish display team and with about three weeks to go they called to say they needed rooms for three senior officers in a local hotel.

"We spent two hours ringing round and the nearest hotel we could find was in Nottingham."

Last year the air show attracted 70,000 on the Saturday and 50,000 on the Sunday – and the weather was dreadful.

This time, advance bookings already indicate a bumper number of visitors with up to 50 per cent more.

Enclosures – where spectators stand right next to the runway – have already sold out.

And tickets for the show's three grandstands have also been exhausted.

General manager at the Lincoln Hotel Victoria Green said: "The air show does bring a lot of business into the city and we are quite fortunate because we get a lot of people who are working at the event staying here.

"Any event like this is beneficial to the city and surrounding businesses."

Any money organisers make is donated to charities including the RAF Benevolent Fund, the RAF Association and to local charities.

For more on RAF Waddington International Air Show, see Saturday's Echo.