A popular Norfolk air show that raises thousands of pounds for a children's charity will not take place this year, organisers confirmed yesterday.

Thousands of aviation fans have been descending on Old Buckenham Airfield for the last 11 years for its big fundraiser.

But officials from the former second world war airfield yesterday said that the annual event will not be staged later this month because of time and cost pressures.

Organisers of the Old Buckenham Air Show said they had not ruled out bringing the air show back in future years, which raises money for East Anglia's Children's Hospices that has a base at nearby Quidenham where the charity cares for terminally-ill children.

William Layzell, airfield manager, said: 'It is mainly down to costs and the time it takes to run the air show. We will have a look at it again later in the year to see if we organise one next year. It takes some months to organise.'

The air show usually attracts around 4,000 people, but attendances were down for the 11th annual event last year, which coincided with an England World Cup football game.

The event is normally staged on the last Sunday in June. The highlight of the 2010 show was a special flypast of Spitfire, Lancaster and Hurricane as part of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Mr Layzell said the airfield would be staging other charitable events during the year, but not on the scale of the air show.

The base, which was once the home of the US Army Air Force 453rd Bomb Group, will welcome a vintage aircraft fly-in on Sunday, June 26, including free landings for any craft built before 1965.

The airfield will also host the Norfolk Balloon Festival for hot air balloon enthusiasts from across the country between August 26 and 29 and an American tail dragger aircraft fly-in on Sunday, September 18.