Air ambulance survivor opens home

The fund-raising open day is the first in a series this summer

A man whose life was saved by an air ambulance team is opening his garden to the public in aid of the service.

Robin Batchelor-Smith, 66, was airlifted to hospital in Berkshire after having a heart attack at home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, in 2004.

On Saturday he is throwing open the gates of his garden to raise funds for Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance.

The garden at Orchard Dean Cottage is open until 1700 BST and is signposted from the main Henley to Nettlebed road.

If the air ambulance hadn't been there I might have very well popped my clogs Robin Batchelor-Smith

Visitors will be able to enjoy strawberry cream teas and buy plants grown by Mr Batchelor-Smith.

Mr Batchelor-Smith, a retired publisher's editor, was airlifted to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, Berkshire, within 20 minutes of dialling 999.

He told the BBC News website: "If the air ambulance hadn't been there, goodness knows, I might have very well popped my clogs, one doesn't know."

The garden open day is the first in a series this summer to raise funds for the air ambulance charitable trust, which is funded solely by donations and sponsorship.

The ambulance is on call seven days a week in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and parts of Northamptonshire, with annual running costs of £950,000.