Wiltshire Chief Constable Brian Moore is very concerned about plans by an ambulance trust to end its shared deal over helicopter cover.

Mr Moore said Wiltshire police would not be able to afford to go it alone if the Great Western Ambulance Service Trust ends its agreement.

At the moment the helicopter is used by both emergency services but ambulance bosses are refusing to sign a new five year deal when the present one ends in December.

Instead it wants just a one year agreement put in place while it considers all options for air ambulance cover.

Mr Moore said: " I am very concerned. We would have to try and find a new partner as we could not afford to take it on by ourselves."

He said the helicopter provided a vital extra service for the police and was particularly important in a rural county like Wiltshire.

He was worried that without the helicopter high speed road chases would become more common and these could be dangerous.

Christopher Hoare, Chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority also added his concerns.

He said: "The Wiltshire Air Ambulance partnership is immensely valuable to the people of Wiltshire and the Wiltshire Police Authority would not wish to see this jeopardised.

"The helicopter which we use is funded through a private finance initiative. The original contract term which was for ten years will come to an end in December 2008 and there is provision to renew for a further period of five years. The recent meeting with the Great Western Ambulance Trust was held in order to determine what the intentions of the ambulance trust are in relation to the current arrangement. Certainly the Police Authority would wish this cost efficient joint service to continue if at all possible."