NO ONE in Hampshire will be more than 19 minutes from emergency medical treatment from early next summer when Hampshire Air Ambulance service takes off.

That is the promise made to New Milton Town Council by Nicola Howkins of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Trust which is getting the Hampshire and Isle of Wight scheme off the ground.

And unlike the other 16 air ambulances in the UK, Hampshire's helicopter will not be manned by two paramedics, but one - plus a doctor.

The Hampshire service like others around the country, with the exception of London, will be charity funded and the Balco 105DBS helicopter will be leased.

"We will be going into service early next spring or early summer; if we've got the money," said Mrs Howkins.

Cost of the service is £65,000 a month.

The helicopter will be based in the Southampton area which means it can be anywhere in the county within 19 minutes of the emergency call.

It has one disadvantage: it can only be used in daylight hours.

But the advantages are immense, especially in isolated rural areas such as the New Forest where numerous people walk or go horse riding.

Most air ambulance call-outs are to road accidents, the second are horse riding related and the third are to walkers who have suffered injury or illness.

Mrs Howkins gave an example of a man who suffered a heart attack walking on Exmoor. He was two miles from the nearest road.

By ambulance, paramedics would have had to trek across rough terrain and the rescue operation would have taken two hours.

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance landed next to him and 35 minutes later he was in hospital.

Mrs Howkins made a plea for funding. The service has started its own lottery scheme, but volunteers are needed to man fund-raising stalls.

Direct debit schemes can be set up, she said.

"We'll accept any money that's given to us - very gratefully."

First published: September 8, 2005