More than 30 charities and groups have pledged their support to this August's Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival.

So far 35 charities and similar groups have agreed to help provide stewards, donation collectors, park and ride marshals and programme and merchandise sellers.

During the two day air show there will be about 300 volunteers helping with collection buckets.

And another 200 people will be volunteer stewards to help the hundreds of thousands of people expected to turn up enjoy seeing a wide range of aircraft zoom over the town's sea front, including the Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

The helpers range from Lions and Rotary Club members from Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Halesworth, Beccles and Framlingham.

Other volunteers come from youth organizations and environmental and community groups.

In return for providing their vital support, air show organsiers will share out some of the donations made as people enter the festival.

Last year about �27,000 was shared out among groups that provided volunteers and it is hoped a similar amount will be handed out from August 11 and 12's show.

Over the last six years more than �145,000 has been handed out to groups that have supported the region's premier air show.

An air show spokesman said: 'As in previous years local groups will provide an army of helpers to ensure that East Anglia's biggest event goes ahead as smoothly and as successfully as possible.'