THE company behind the Wirral Air Show is seeking a new venue after its plans to stage the event this summer at a council-owned site were rejected.

Last week the Globe revealed the Red Arrows had been confirmed as star attractions for the show, but organisers Jumbo Events were told they must postpone it for a year.

Along with the world-famous Arrows, the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and a Eurofighter Typhoon had been confirmed by the company to appear on the weekend of August 6 and August 7 for displays over the show ground near New Brighton sea front.

But Wirral Council's events advisory group - which consists of representatives from the local authority, police and fire service - ruled that doubts over traffic management, car parking issues and safety concerns meant it would not go ahead this August.

It appeared the firm had not given sufficient notice to prepare for such a major event.

A town hall spokesman said at the time: "The advisory group recommended to the organisers their proposed air show should be postponed until 2017 to allow for all the necessary plans essential for the safety and success of such a spectacle to be made."

Now in a letter to the Globe, Wigan-based Jumbo Events said it intends to press ahead at an alternative venue.

Company director Bill Clarke also said he had been in talks with Wirral officials about this year's show since last August - and he claimed everything had been in place to allow it to go ahead safely.

Mr Clarke wrote: "We first contacted Wirral Council in August 2015 with a view to staging the Wirral Air Show.

"After numerous emails and telephone calls, communications suddenly stopped.

"They did not reply to my communications - so much so that in September, I wrote to the council leader to complain.

"I received an invitation to attend a meeting on December 4. I was asked if we would consider organising the event with another person who had also applied to stage an air show at New Brighton."

But at the end of January of this year Mr Clarke was told the other party had pulled out "which cost us four months of planning with the council."

His letter continues: "Despite that, we had continued to plan for our event.

"Following a meeting with officials last week, concern was raised by the council suggesting on their part that they did not have enough time to work on this event - despite the fact we have been negotiating with them since last August.

“On our part we had everything in place to stage the show: traffic management, medical cover, stewards, security, toilets, grandstands, public address systems.

"We are now negotiating with another venue so that the event can go ahead."

The Globe telephoned Mr Clarke to inquire about the alternative venue but he declined to comment.