Today the Great Western Ambulance Service issued the following statement.

Great Western Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "The Wiltshire Air Ambulance is not under threat. We are committed to providing effective air ambulance cover to the people of Wiltshire and with it, the best clinical care possible. We want to continue our relationship with the police. The contract for the air ambulance is in the process of being re-negotiated with the police and we are seeking a two year extension whilst we are undertaking a review of the best clinical ways of providing services to patients.

"We would like to thank the people of Wiltshire for their support of Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal. It is a well-loved charity that has kept the Wiltshire Air Ambulance going for the last 15 years. We also support the charity and we only want to see the service get even better."

Last week Great Western Ambulance Service told the Gazette that it was seeking an extension to the shared helicopter/Air Ambulance for one year.

When asked why it was now seeking a two year extension a GWAS spokesman said: "Our position hasn't really changed. We were looking for at least one year but in reality we were looking for two years.

"We are not going to pull out of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. We are trying to renegotiate a two year contract, us pulling out is not true."