Repairs leave one air ambulance for northern patch

The Guardian of the North II helicopter has been transported to Leeds Airport for repairs

An air ambulance has been taken in for repairs, leaving one helicopter to cover its entire northern England patch.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) said it found a gearbox fault with one of its helicopters and had taken it out of service.

The aircraft, known as Guardian of the North II, has been transported to Leeds Airport for repairs.

A spokesperson for GNAAS said it had been a "tough year for our choppers" as Guardian of the North II had only just been fixed for a separate issue.

The air ambulance service usually operates two helicopters, which cover the North East, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man.

"Our helicopters are expensive commodities to have, and they are a huge asset to our charity," the spokesperson said.

"However, it's our critical care team who bring the vital skills to the scene - so until repairs are made, our rapid response vehicles and Cumbria-based helicopter will be on standby for the whole north."

The repairs are expected to take one week and are being carried out by aviation services firm Multiflight.