TICKET prices for the 17th Abingdon Air and Country Show have gone up for the first time in four years.

Organisers announced on social media that while advance ticket prices for event on May 1, next year, will stay the same as last year, visitors on the day will have to pay more.

The show said the increase was due to the increased cost of running the annual show at Abingdon Airfield, which cost £84,852.

Adult tickets at the gate will rise from £15 to £17.50, an OAP ticket from £10 to £12 and a child’s ticket from £5 to £6, while under fives get in for free.

Advance tickets, which are expected to go on sale shortly, will still cost £12 for adults, OAPs £8, children aged five to 15 £4.

Show spokesman Colin Smith posted on Facebook: “Last weekend saw the first planning meeting for next May’s 17th Annual Abingdon Air & Country Show, and as a heads up, ticket prices have been set.

“There will be a slight rise due to the increasing cost of running the show and to survive we have to slightly increase our pricing structure. However we have kept an eye on keeping it fairly respectable for the public and we had frozen admission prices for the last four years at least.”

There will be more than 60 static aircraft at the airfield on the day, including a Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, Shorts Skyvan, Yakolev Yak52, Auster AOP6 and Westland Gazelle.

Pilots will take to the skies in a variety of light and classic aircraft including Spitfires and P51 Mustangs and a DeHavilland Sea Vixen, while the Jumping for Heroes Parachute Display Team will pull off a range of daredevil stunts.

Attractions already booked for the event include a Second World War re-enactment, classic cars and motorbikes, live music, flight simulators and crafts.

Visit abingdonairandcountry.co.uk