Chivenor air rescue service handover delayed

Two RAF helicopters from RMB Chivenor rescued nearly 60 people during floods in Boscastle, Cornwall in 2004

The launch of a new privately-operated search and rescue helicopter service in Devon has been delayed.

Bristow was due to take over the role from the military at RMB Chivenor on Thursday.

But that has been put back to "the first week of October", the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

"The military-operated service at RAF Chivenor will be maintained until the Bristow service goes live," said the MoD.

Bristow, which had been due to start operations from St Athan in south Wales, said: "We can confirm that Bristow SAR operations from our St Athan base will commence first week of October.

"The military-operated service at RAF Chivenor will be maintained until the Bristow service goes live."

Aberdeen-based Bristow won a 10-year contract to take over the service, which is being privatised around the UK.

The £1.6bn search and rescue deal with Bristow ends 70 years of search and rescue from the RAF and Royal Navy.