Wiltshire Air Ambulance service continues police deal

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity has been permitted to continue sharing the local police force's helicopter for a further 12 months.

It was feared that the long-standing arrangement was going to end due to a National Police Air Service reorganisation.

That has been delayed so the continuing arrangement with the police gives the charity time to buy its own aircraft.

It has so far raised about £1m towards the £2.5m it needs to buy a helicopter.

The charity currently shares the use of the McDonnell Douglas 902 Explorer aircraft, which is based at Wiltshire Police headquarters in Devizes.

David Philpott, chief executive of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: "We've had a two and a half to three year build-up to this and we've got great confidence in the people of Wiltshire.

"We raise something like £20,000 a week through our lottery alone so everything's moving in the right direction and 2014 is a long way away.

"A lot of things can happen between now and then."