THE parents of a Melksham woman killed in a car crash last year have held a fundraising auction to raise funds for the county's air ambulance.

Michelle Phillips, 26, died when the Peugeot 306 she was travelling in was involved in a three-car collision in Devon, in April 2004.

Her parents, John and Sandra, of Halifax Road, Bowerhill, held the event at Melksham's Assembly Hall to mark what would have been their daughter's 27th birthday, raising more than £3,300 for the air ambulance appeal.

This takes the total they have raised in the last year to more than £4,800.

Mary Laing, appeal administrator, said the contribution would go a huge way towards keeping the air ambulance flying.

She said: "We need to raise £320,000 per year and this is achieved by the wonderful people of Wiltshire through fundraising events like the one organised by John and Sandra Phillips.

"We are totally reliant on receiving funds from the public and it is fantastic to see the lengths people go to ensure we can keep it running.

"I dare not even think about the county not having an air ambulance anymore.

"We can't categorically state how many lives it has saved, but there is no doubt it has saved many."