THOUSANDS of petrol heads poured into Bicester Heritage this weekend for the annual Classic & Sports Car Show in association with Flywheel.

More than 100 classic sports cars and retro racing and flying machines took to the former airfield as well as the skies for the packed out two-day event.

Hordes of hobbyists revelled in the blistering heat to enjoy racing, vintage car displays, dozens of stalls, and aerobatics up above for what organisers hailed as the biggest event since it began in 2015.

Show spokesperson and editor of Classic and Sports Car magazine Alastair Clements praised the turnout on the day and said he was thrilled with how the weekend had gone.

He told Oxford Mail at the event: “It has been absolutely phenomenal. It's the first time we have been involved in the show and we have absolutely thrilled to see thousands coming along today.

“I think the best thing from our point of view is not only is it a fantastic car show as well as air show but the families are all here and the atmosphere is really relaxed.

“We are already talking about the show next year and what we can do for the next event.”

As well as hosting the array of classic road and competition cars over the weekend, together with motorbikes, vintage aircraft and military machines, the event was also attended by six war veterans who came to mark the centenaries of the Royal Air Force and the end of the First World War.

RAF veterans Maurice Marriott, 93, and Eddie Habberley, 95, both from Duston in Northamptonshire, returned to the skies as passengers in Tiger Moth aircraft over the showground.

Mr Habberley, who was based in Burma during the Second World War, said: “It’s great that so much has happened for RAF100 and wonderful how much interest there is from people of all generations. I haven’t been in a Tiger Moth since 1941 and going up today, I didn’t remember how breezy it was up there.”

On land, Le Mans legend Derek Bell MBE wowed the crowds by demonstrating a 1965 Porsche 911 two-litre race car on Saturday.

The racing star – who has won the Le Mans 24-Hour Race five times, the 24 Hours of Daytona three times and the World Sportscar Championship twice – met with show visitors and signed copies of his new book, Derek Bell: All My Porsche Races.

He said: “Seeing the old planes being flown in such a daring way and showing the real history of what made England what it is, is very special.

“The crowds are so excited to see the planes because you don’t see them very often so it is magnificent.”

Organisers promised the festival would return next year and said they planned a ‘bigger and better’ 2019 event.