Custodians of the last Vulcan bomber to fly in military service, which has been based in South Yorkshire for more than 10 years, say they are “humbled” by the public love and support for the aircraft, of which only 19 remain.

The future of the Avro Vulcan XH558 has been uncertain ever since Peel L&P, which owns Doncaster Sheffield Airport where the Vulcan had been kept since 2011, announced last year that it would be closing the airport to commercial fights as it was no longer economically viable.

The Vulcan To The Sky Trust which maintains the aircraft, has been looking for new premises to keep the aircraft as its lease with Peel was set to expire at the end of June.

However, a deal has been struck between the two parties and the lease has been extended by Peel until the end of December.

The Vulcan aircraft on the runway at the former Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme.

The Trust says it allows them to continue discussions and to explore options that would keep the Vulcan, one of 134 production models that were built in its best possible condition.

Michael Trotter is the trust’s Business Development Director and told The Yorkshire Post they had a good working relationship with Peel and that talks were still taking place.

He said: “We are still talking to Peel and have always had a good relationship and talked about issues as they arise.

"This extension is enormously helpful. Our objective is to keep the aircraft in its best possible condition, which is intact.

"We have two on-going options that we are talking to about moving the aircraft but we are trying to see if there is an option to stay there.”

If the Vulcan has to be moved, it would have to be dismantled and moved by road before being rebuilt as they are unable to fly the aircraft, which hasn’t been airborne since 2015.

Dismantling the bomber, which entered service with the RAF in 1960 and featured prominently in the country’s Cold War military activity before retirement in 1984, would mean it would never be the same again.

Mr Trotter said: “If we dismantled it would be functional but not to the same degree that it is now.

"The company that were going to dismantle it have great experience but the quote we have is with limited functionality. It is unlikely that the engine would be powered up again.

"This gives us more time to explore the options that we have. Ideally, we would prefer to stay where we are because the problem goes away.”

Last month, the trust held an Engine Ground-Run Experience at Doncaster Sheffield airport which allowed fans and enthusiasts to take a look around the Vulcan, including inside the cockpit, and hear the engines being fire up creating the ‘Vulcan roar’.

The public’s affection and interest in the last airworthy aeroplane of its type remains strong.

Follower figures of The Vulcan to the Sky Trust’s facebook page are almost the same now as they were in 2015 when XH558 last flew and there are 40,000 subscribers to the newsletter now compared to 30,000 eight years ago.

Mr Trotter added: “The interest is still there. People are still following and supporting us and it is quite humbling really.”

Vulcan trust humbled by public affection for rare aircraft that has been granted extended stay at South Yorkshire airport