Wartime romance was brought to life with music, dancing and theatrical displays to promote Oxfordshire's Fly to the Past event.

Soldiers, airmen and a 1940s glamour girl acted out wartime scenes at Bicester Village on SundayJune10 to give shoppers a taste of next month's festival of flight at Blenheim Palace.

Historical re-enactors used wartime props, including a 1940s jeep, to bring nostalgic scenes to life.

The characters included glamour girl Kitten von Mew, a spiv offering blackmarket stockings and a wartime police officer.

Festival director Francis Rockliff said: "This is a promotional performance to try to recreate a small taste of the atmosphere on the day.

"This is a tiny part of what 20,000 people come to see at Blenheim.

"From dancing and fashion, to theatre and food, we are celebrating all the history and culture of the 1940s."

Oxford Swing Dance Society provided displays of lindy hop, jitterbug and swing, while Second World War enthusiasts from the Oxford-based Dcoy group acted as soldiers and pilots.

Bicester Village marketing director Anna Keddie said: "It's a pleasure for events like this to be held at Bicester Village. Fly To The Past is a spectacular event, and one that helps to put our county of Oxfordshire firmly on the map when it comes to quality events in idyllic surroundings."

Tiki Hadj, 45, from Essex, took time out from his shopping to watch the display.

He said: "I think it's great. I like the music and the performing."

Fly to the Past, which was launched in 2003, promises to take visitors on a journey through time exploring the history of flight.

The show, on Sunday, July 22, will include flight-themed, theatrical exhibits and displays, as well as a four-hour show by more than 40 aircraft from spitfires to jet-propelled sabre fighters.

For more information, see www.flytothepast.com or call 01993 822822.