A LIFE-SAVING charity has been boosted with an ultrafast and efficient internet connection - for free.

Thanks to Wessex Internet, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance can now carry out their work to the optimum to save lives 19 hours a day for 365 days a year.

James Gibson Fleming, founder of Blandford-based Wessex Internet, said a full fibre broadband connection has been made to the charity's Henstridge Airfield base in March.

Mr Gibson said: "As the air ambulance is so important to everyone in our Wessex Internet coverage area, our team dropped everything to get this link in.

"It was no mean feat – we were in the depths of winter and needed to cross 5km of the wettest farm land in the Blackmore Vale. We snatched some dry weather and got two plough teams to work simultaneously to complete the link in just two days."

Fast internet will save the air ambulance crew time when logging and recording incidents after returning to base.

Bill Sivewright, CEO Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, said: "Getting to patients quickly, safely and efficiently, not surprisingly, requires access to the latest information from a number of different sources.

"However, we are increasingly reliant on fast and reliable internet communications for every aspect of our operations, from sharing vital clinical or aviation information, to education, governance and logistics.

"Wessex Internet have been supporting us for a number of years and this most recent upgrade to our system is a clear demonstration of their enduring support and generosity for which we are incredibly grateful."