A flying festival, advertised as the biggest free air show on the South Coast, will charge some spectators for the first time.

Eastbourne Borough Council has decided to cordon off two areas of the seafront and charge £5 for a deckchair for the day.

The zones earmarked for paying viewers include the bandstand area and the Wish Tower slopes.

A spokesman for the council said: "As an experiment this year, we are zoning off two areas. The cost of the aeroplanes goes up dramatically each year and we have to pay for it.

"People will still able to watch the event for free along a five-mile stretch of the seafront, the downland and Beachy Head."

But Beryl Healy, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition party, said: "I am appalled by this decision. This was decided without me knowing about it. I wonder what secret meeting went on."

A spokesman from the Royal Airforce Association said: "We knew nothing about this but we are not happy with the idea."

The show attracted 500,000 visitors to Eastbourne last year but was marred by the death of a 63-year-old pilot, Ted Girdler, from Kent, who died when his plane fell into the sea.

Airbourne runs from August 16 to 19, with displays by the Red Arrows.