THE race is on to raise an extra £20,000 a month to upgrade an emergency helicopter service specially dedicated to the people of Cumbria, reports Ruth Lythe.

The Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA) hopes to upgrade The Pride of Cumbria, which has raced to hundreds of incidents throughout the county since it was launched in 2004.

The present aircraft is a Bolkow 105, which has been in operation since 1971 and is based in Penrith. But as time passes, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find suitable replacement parts for the helicopter.

Now the charity is making a direct plea to the people of Cumbria, asking them to make a regular donation of 50p a week to get a newer model of the chopper off the ground.

The charity hopes to replace the present aircraft with a Dauphin 365 (pictured), a more modern helicopter, capable of carrying more medics and patients.

But to make the dream a reality, the GNAA needs an extra £20,000 a month in its coffers on top of the £50,000-£60,000 a month it normally costs to run the helicopter.

Pride of Cumbria pilot Jim Martin explained: "The Bolkow is a fantastic aircraft designed as an anti-tank aircraft for the German Army. Unfortunately this aircraft has been in operation since 1971 and, as designs have changed and aircraft updated, there are fewer parts on the market to supply the operators of these aircrafts."

John Ker, the senior paramedic on board the helicopter, said: "At present we have two medics on board the Bolkow and only have access to the patient from the waist upwards once they are on board the aircraft. The Dauphin would allow us extra space to have access to the whole patient making it easier to manage critically ill patients en route to hospital. It would also mean that we could carry another two medics if necessary or transport walking wounded or relatives, as well as a critical patient."

In order to achieve its aim, the charity needs to prove that it can fund the aircraft through regular and sustainable support from the people of Cumbria General manager Barbara Walton recalled how supporters helped put the air ambulance back in the skies after it was grounded when funding dropped off following the Carlisle floods and the Asian Tsunami.

And she appealed for a similar response to help raise enough cash for the new chopper.

"The people of Cumbria have shown their allegiance to the aircraft by returning it to the skies and we have no doubt that this will continue with the race to upgrade the current aircraft."

To make a donation by direct debit, call 0845-890-2200; contact the charity on 01325-487-263, or write to: The Great North Air Ambulance, The Imperial Centre, Grange Road, Darlington, Co Durham, DL1 5NQ.

l A bring-and-buy sale at Staveley Village Hall on Saturday helped to raise £616 for Cumbria Air Ambulance.