RECORD crowds turned out to watch the Scottish Airshow after it was given the go ahead in the wake of the Shoreham tragedy.

Organisers had considered cancelling after the disaster in Sussex left 11 dead and led the Civil Aviation Authority to issue a series of temporary restrictions on airshows, including a ban on vintage jets performing stunts over land.

However, it was decided that the Scottish Airshow could go ahead as all aerobatics were performed over water in a "very safe" environment off the Ayrshire coast.

On Saturday, some 120,000 spectators - more than double last year's turnout - gathered at Low Green to watch a series of displays from aircraft including the Red Arrows, Spitfires and the final Scottish aerobatics display by the vintage Vulcan bomber jet before she enters retirement.

There was mid-air drama, however, when the Vulcan suffered a fault during its final flypast and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing.

Video footage shows the Vulcan XH558's landing wheels partially extended in a locked position towards the end of the flight. It circled for a short time before landing safely at Prestwick Airport where fire crews were on standby at the side of the runway.

A display scheduled for Leicestershire today has been cancelled while the Vulcan undergoes tests.

A statement from the Sky Trust, which operates the aircraft, said: "Following a technical issue with the nose-wheel leg strut on arrival at Prestwick Airport, XH558 will transit directly to her home base at Robin Hood Airport immediately after take-off.

"This is a precautionary flight that will then allow a thorough inspection and subsequent test of the complete system in her hangar."

The incident comes days after a preliminary AAIB report into the Shoreham tragedy found no defect with the Hawker Hunter jet, but air investigators revealed that former British Airways pilot, Andy Hill, had begun his fatal loop-the-loop hundreds of feet lower than his licence allowed.

Mr Hill, who remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital, entered the manoeuvre at 200ft instead of the minimum 500ft from the ground laid down in his licence.

Doug Maclean, spokesman for the Scottish Airshow, said the organisers believed that the boost in spectators - 20,000 more than anticipated - was a sign that the public wanted to show their support as the event returned for its second year following a 22 year hiatus.

Mr Maclean said: "At so many airshows across the country recently there have been record attendances," he said.

"I think the public want to show their support for this type of event.

"There was no suggestion for a minute that things would be unsafe here, there is a great deal of care and it was just a fantastic day."

Concerns had been raised by police over a Royal Marine land display at the airshow but it went ahead after the event was "slightly revised" earlier in the week.

Senior officers had objected to the marines being armed during the display at Low Green.

It was agreed with Police Scotland and South Ayrshire Council that there would be no rapid gunfire and planned explosions were scaled back.

The airshow continued to attract large crowds today [Sun] as Prestwick airport hosted a ground display and the return of the Red Arrows for the first time since 1992.