Warning from air ambulance over festive period

Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex said it has already attended more than 100 incidents this month alone

An air ambulance charity in south-east England is preparing for a spike in serious incidents over the festive period.

Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS), based in Redhill, operates a 24-hour emergency service every day of the year.

Specialist paramedic Ben Macauley said the charity sees an increase in serious incidents during this period, particularly road traffic accidents.

The charity wants the public to be trained in basic first aid skills to help ease pressure on emergency teams.

Mr Macauley, who has worked for KSS for ten years, said: "This time of year we do see an increase in the incidents we attend, particularly road traffic accidents.

"That is in part due to the poor driving conditions, the lower light levels."

He added some incidents they attended were caused by substance misuse, including drink and drug-driving.

Ben Macauley is a helicopter emergency medical service specialist paramedic

The charity wants the public to be trained in basic first aid and life-saving skills, such as CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

Dr Duncan Bootland, medical director, said: "Our message at Christmas is there are things that the public can do to help us in that, including learning how to do CPR and getting early access to the ambulance service."

The service, which costs £45,000 per day to run, has attended more than 100 incidents this month alone, and about 40,000 since it was founded in 1989.