PLANS for a Spitfire flypast to mark the 80th anniversary of the iconic aircraft's first flight have been cancelled.

Southampton Airport has refused the organisers of the event access to its runway, where the Spitfire made its first flight in 1936.

The airport says it already has plans to celebrate the anniversary but the Solent Sky Museum, which was organising the event says they are "disappointed" that the event can not go ahead as it has over the past 40 years.

The aircraft was designed by RJ Mitchell and built in Woolston and was instrumental to the British victory in the Battle of Britain during the Second World War.

Flypasts marking the anniversary of its first flight from Eastleigh airfield, now Southampton Airport, on March 5, 1936 have taken place there since 1976.

Sqn Ldr Alan Jones from Solent Sky said: "For 40 years now we have celebrated the first flight of the Spitfire and the most important part of that is the recreation of the first flight.

"The 80th anniversary will be terribly important because for the 90th nobody will be around and the dynamic will be completely changed by this.

"I'm disappointed as we have been here for 40 years in the city and our goal is to maintain this tribute to the Spitfire and what happened in aviation locally.

"Why now won't the airport work with us? I don't undersnd it, we have had no problems in the past and had a terrific relationship.

"They have every right to do what they want with the runway and if it disappoints us it's our problem."

Sqn Ldr Jones said a celebration at the museum will now take place instead, and that some of those who built the aircraft will be attending.

A spokesman for the airport said: "We were disappointed to read about the Solent Sky Spitfire event being cancelled as we had never given permission for this to go ahead in the first place.

"As you can imagine holding events at an airport requires detailed planning and resources and unfortunately we had to decline the request as we already have plans in place to celebrate this special occasion.

"We can assure everyone that the Spitfire is very much at the heart of Southampton Airport and the beautiful aircraft is always welcome to land here, as they do on many occasions throughout the year. We will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire, by looking to the future and how the Spitfire is still inspiring businesses and young people today.

"We wish the Solent Sky Museum all the best for their other plans. Further information about how Southampton Airport is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the first ever flight of the Spitfire, which took off from here, will be released closer to the date."