A World War Two Lancaster bomber will be one of the attractions at this weekend's Sunderland Airshow.

PA474, one of only two still in an airworthy condition, last appeared at the event in 1999 and is expected to be a big draw.

It will fly in with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which also includes Hurricane and Spitfire fighters, stalwarts of the fight with the Luftwaffe that staved off the threat of invasion.

PA474 was built in 1945 for the war against Japan in the Far East but the conflict ended before the aircraft could see action.

But Lancasters played a key role throughout the war and wrought havoc on German cities.

Airshow co-ordinator Sue Henderson, said: "We are delighted that in this, the 60th anniversary year of the D-Day landings. we have been able to include the Lancaster as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

"In the previous years that it has flown at Sunderland it has always been a crowd pleaser and it will be a real spectacle when it flies over the pier.''

PA474 has featured in the war films Operation Crossbow and The Guns of Navarone and joined the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in November 1973.

The flight will be in action on both Saturday and Sunday.

The airshow, which attracts thousands of visitors every year, will also include the RAF's premier aerobatic flying display team, The Red Arrows, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary, F16s from the Royal Netherlands and the Belgian air forces, as well as "old favourites'' including the Tornado, Jaguar, Hawk, Sea Harrier, Nimrod, Tucano aircraft and Falcons Parachute Team.

The show will take place at Roker and Seaburn from 10am to 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

The flying programme will run from 1 to 5.30pm on Saturday and from noon to 4pm on Sunday.