A historic RAF bomber thunders down the runway at Southend Airport at sunset

Aviation enthusiasts were treated to the ‘howl’ of a historic RAF bomber as it blasted down the runway at Southend Airport for its first high-speed taxi race of the year.

Visitors enjoyed uninterrupted views over the airport from an exclusive enclosure as Vulcan XL426 performed two twilight taxi runs on Saturday, with the second pass at high speed.

This gave enthusiasts plenty of chances to photograph the iconic aircraft.

Hundreds of people attended the sold-out event to witness the aircraft taxiing down the runway as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The Vulcan then turned to stop the engines in front of the enclosure, much to the delight of the participants.

The Vulcan Restoration Trust has cared for the legendary aircraft since 1993 and hosts these events every year in an effort to preserve the plane.

Its engineering program aims to keep the XL426 as a “live” aircraft on the ground for at least the next 20 years.