BAD weather has scuppered a spectacular surprise opening of the PSP Southampton Boat Show.

The Royal Navy Parachute Team was going to stage an aerial display above Southampton Water to coincide with the official opening at 11am this morning.

It would have seen the parachutists falling with a trail of coloured smoke and the unfolding of the boat show banner.

The team would then have landed in the water before being picked up by a Royal Marine offshore raiding craft which would have then sped to the quay near sponsor PSP Logistics tent to the official ceremony where they would have done the honours.

However the Royal Navy aborted the mission at the last minute as the weather worsened this morning.

National Boat Show spokesman Emma York said: "It was cancelled because of the low cloud. They said it would have been too dangerous for them to do it with the low cloud."

Instead a team of Royal Marines stepped in to hold the ribbon as Jo Dixie-Goodwin from An aerial view of last year's PSP Southampton Boat Show sponsors PSP Logistics cut the ribbon to officially open the extravaganza.

She said: "There is so much going on here and there are many, many boats. We've got some biggies and some small ones.

"Coming from Southampton it is great to support our city and what better backdrop than a working port and beautiful marina full of boats. It's perfect and we love it."

An estimated 120,000 visitors are expected to attend the PSB Southampton Boat Show in Mayflower Park over nine days. This year's event will showcases an unprecedented number of debuts with more than 100 new vessels on show for the first time.

The 45th PSP Southampton Boat Show runs from today until September 22.