New helicopter to serve patients

Cornwall Air Ambulance's EC135 Eurocopter was used for the display

The people of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire are to be served by a new air ambulance.

The Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust, which operates out of RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, will use a EC135 Eurocopter.

The new type of aircraft, which went on display on Tuesday, will can fly for longer and carry more people.

It is expected to come into operation in July this year and will cost £1.7m a year to keep in the air.

The helicopter will be acquired on a lease from Bond Air Services, which will be taken over by TVAC.

Colin Lee, TVAC chairman of trustees, said: "The arrival of this new helicopter marks a significant new era in the development of the air ambulance service in our region.

"It will greatly improve our ability to deliver fast and effective emergency medical care and among its many benefits and improved features is increased capacity enabling a carer, like a concerned mother, to accompany a patient to hospital."

TVAC currently uses a MMB Bolkow 105 DBS helicopter, but it first tested the twin-engined EC135 Eurocopter three years ago.