TRUSTEES of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity say they are proud to be leading it into a new era.

After years of lobbying by campaigners Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) has agreed to relinquish its sole trusteeship of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal.

Eight trustees have been appointed to the new charity, to be called the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust.

On Monday they met David Philpott, chairman of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal, and signed the memorandum and articles of association. Mr Philpott was appointed by GWAS to establish the appeal as an independent charity.

The trustees include Mandy Clarke, of Chippen- ham, the director of a human resources and executive coaching company. Mrs Clarke, 45, has two daughters, aged 14 and 17, who were friends of the three Chippenham boys killed in a crash on the A342 at Rowde on New Year’s Eve.

She said: “I saw how the deaths of the boys affected the community. The air ambulance did save one of the boys in the car. I think it’s a fantastic operation.”

Another trustee Chris Lear, 54, of Calne, said the air ambulance came to the aid of his friend, retired RAF pilot Keith McPhee of Corsham, who died following a glider accident at Keevil Airfield five years ago.

The trustees are due to appoint a chairman soon.

GWAS has confirmed that money raised for the appeal will no longer be used to pay the wages of the air ambulance’s paramedics. The £240,00 annual cost will be met by NHS Wiltshire.