Organisers of the Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival presented more than £26,000 to charities and community groups after announcing record bucket collections at July's event.

Organisers of Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival presented more than £26,000 to charities and community groups after announcing record bucket collections at the July event.

The cash will go to 17 causes, including Lions and Rotary Clubs, which provided an army of volunteers and were repaid with commissions to help worthy causes.

Other charities to benefit include Yarmouth Lifeboat Guild, the Suffolk Deaf Association and the Sea Cadets Support Group.

With no admission charge, the festival relies on people's generosity to help fund it.

And, although bad weather reduced visitor numbers by 140,000 on the previous year, the 2007 bucket collections brought in almost £60,000.

Managing director Paul Bayfield said the reduced attendance meant one in four people contributed this year compared with one in seven in 2006.

He added: "It is a measure of the success of the air festival that not only did we cover our costs once again but we also managed to put £26,100 back into the local community, mainly for charity help.

"This gives us the confidence and inspiration to do it all again next year."