Air ambulance bases closure appeal denied

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Plans to close two Wales Air Ambulance bases are set to go ahead after the Court of Appeal declined an application to challenge their closures.

Campaigners have opposed plans to close the two bases in Welshpool, Powys, and Caernarfon, Gwynedd, and replace them with another centre in north Wales.

They had previously lost a High Court case in June of this year.

The charity said the decision would save more lives across the country, "particularly in mid and north Wales".

It said the service was the "most clinically advanced in Europe" but not everyone was benefitting.

"In 2023-24, we were unable to attend 551 incidents in mid and north Wales, between 20:00 and 02:00," the service said.

"Every incident involved real people with very serious and life-threatening conditions."

It added its "scarce and highly specialist resources" in Caernarfon and Welshpool were "significantly underused".

"The judgement from the Court of Appeal brings the legal action to an end and allows this vital process to commence," it said.