Staffordshire's new air ambulance will start operating across the county from April. County Air Ambulance says that, initially, the Staffordshire Air Ambulance will be setting up a temporary base at Tatenhill Airfield, near Burton in east Staffordshire.

Ian Clayton, air ambulance operations manager, says County Air Ambulance managers are working closely with the landowner and the local authority to develop a permanent base at Hixon Airfield.

Last October the County Air Ambulance Charity launched a £1 million appeal to support the heli-copter service in the county over the next 12 months. Serving a population of eight million, it has bases at East Midlands airport, RAF Cosford near Wolverhampton and Strensham North Services on the M5 motorway.