Air ambulance seeks more money

The trust that runs the Thames Valley air ambulance service is trying to raise £100,000 to fill a funding gap.

The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance provides an emergency helicopter service for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

The service is funded entirely by donations but most of the money comes from people in Berkshire.

The Challenge Oxfordshire campaign hopes to address the imbalance between the money the counties contribute.

David Griffiths, from the air ambulance trust, said: "The campaign is as much about raising awareness as raising funds.

"Awareness throughout Oxfordshire of the service is not as high as we would hope."

A road show with the helicopter will start in Carterton on 24 February.

The air rescue service is based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire and costs £1.8m a year to run.