IT WAS third time unlucky for Southampton as the Red Arrows’ acrobatic display over the city was cancelled yet again.

After approaching bad weather had thwarted the dramatic display thousands had been hoping for, the crews were able to take off from Bournemouth in the hope that they could perform a brief flight.

But the hopes of the crowds were dashed again as poor conditions meant they were unable to complete even a brief display over Southampton Water yesterday.

It was left to Red 10 Squadron Leader Mike Ling to announce the bad news to the crowd almost exactly an hour after the Red Arrows had been meant to arrive that nothing could go ahead, who took it in good spirits.

He told the Daily Echo that conditions meant that visibility would be down to 100m and going at the speeds these aircraft travel at was simply too dangerous.

Twenty-four hours earlier it would have been fine as Hampshire basked in baking sunshine on the hottest day of the year so far. Even later yesterday would have been fine as the sun reappeared to make it a glorious evening.

After two planned displays were cancelled in 2012 it was supposed to be the first time the world famous Red Arrows had performed a display over the city.

Squadron Leader Ling said: “Obviously we don’t like cancelling shows we only get to do 82 public displays a year and that’s now the third one this year we’ve had to cancel so it’s not a great summer for weather.

“This was strike three for our Red Arrows displays in Southampton.

“There’s nothing we can do about it unfortunately, safety is the number one priority in everything we do so we have to make the safest decision and today sadly that was not to even show our faces overhead with the jets.

He said they would return to Southampton for a display at the Boat Show in September.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed that at least we’ll certainly get one display in Southampton Water.

“There’s certainly something – a higher authority somewhere that doesn’t want us to but I’m hoping we get the opportunity.

“This UK weather is very changeable. I’ve seen just about everything in the two hours I’ve been here and it’s just one of those things.

“I think because we’re on the coast the nature of the UK weather is just one of those things.”

More than 300 people from Hampshire and farther afield had gathered in vantage points along the waterfront to view the display which had been organised to mark the 175th anniversary of the Cunard line.

The company’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, made her way up Southampton Water to her home port and the world-famous Red Arrows had been set to perform one of their jaw-dropping acrobatic displays over her shortly after 3pm yesterday.

But despite Southampton being bathed in glorious sunshine earlier in the week, the prospect of thunderstorms and heavy rain approaching the South meant the chances of it taking place had greatly reduced by yesterday afternoon.

After it was decided there would not be time for a display the crews did take off from Bournemouth in the hopes of staging a brief flypast.

Families, friends and colleagues gathered from as early as 2pm setting up cameras and tripods and clutching mobile phones and tablets to capture the historic moment.

Anticipation reached a climax at 3pm with many people nipping out of their offices for a quick look.

There was laughing and joking at first as but concern grew as the sky darkened and spots of drizzle began falling intermittently.

But shortly after 4pm came the announcement that the crowds had been dreading - that the flypast had been cancelled after the crews encountered sea fog over the Isle of Wight.

The display was meant to have featured a number of new moves including the shape of the historic Spitfire aircraft which was created and built in and around Southampton, and a number of other synchronised formations and acrobatic stunts.

Groans and sighs of despair rippled through the crowds packed at Mayflower Park as the fly past was dramatically called off.

Hopes grew as people heard the pilots were en-route and were circling the Isle of Wight, but the historic moment wasn’t to be and crowds dejectedly dispersed before 5pm.

Piotr Kolodziaj, 31, from Southampton, was there with family from Ostrowiec in Poland who had hoped to see the Red Arrows as part of their two week holiday.

He said: “My dad was really hoping to see the Red Arrows but it is a big shame about the weather.”

Gill and Josef Kollar, both 70, from Blackfield, were on board the QM2 waiting for the Red Arrows.

Gill jokingly said: “You are having a 175th anniversary cruise, you are not getting the Red Arrows as well.

“You can’t plan for the weather. It isn’t until like this happens that you realise how privileged you are to see them. It’s just our luck.”

Her husband added: “It’s one of those things - it’s a shame that the rest of the week was hot and sunny with blue skies”

Josef said: “They had this bad weather in Bournemouth and it was reasonably okay here. It’s just bad luck.”

The Mayor of Southampton, Linda Norris, said: “It’s desperately sad that on the three occasions we were going to have such a tremendous showing of the Red Arrows that the weather has been against us.

“The English weather is not kind to us at times, if the display had taken place earlier in the week at least it would have happened.

“I hope they have better luck next time.”