15131/1GAZETTE & HERALD: RECORD breaking explorer David Hempleman-Adams has reached another dizzy height raising £50,000 to buy a new emergency vehicle for Chippenham's St John Ambulance.

On Sunday, Mr Hempleman-Adams handed over the ambulance to eager first-aid volunteers in a ceremony at the Buttercross in Market Place.

Rachel Heather, divisional superintendent of Chippenham St John Ambulance, said the volunteers were indebted to Mr Hempleman-Adams for his fundraising efforts.

She said: "He approached us about 18 months ago after raising the money to buy a new ambulance for Corsham.

"Our old ambulance was D-registered and getting past its sell-by-date so we jumped at the chance.

"We are very pleased indeed. It's wonderful."

The explorer, who lives in Box, raised the money from talks he gave about his adventures. He started the appeal with a presentation by actor and fellow explorer Brian Blessed at Bradford on Avon.

"I called in a lot of people who owed me favours," he said. "I climbed Everest with Brian Blessed and persuaded him to do the talk for free.

"It really was a Chippenham fundraising effort the Lions and Rotary Clubs helped."

The 48-year-old, who was himself trained by St John Ambulance, said the skills he learned had saved the lives of two people.

"I saved one man in the Arctic and another on Everest," he said.

"I'm asked to do hundreds of things but I think it's better to do something specific and do it well.

"St John is special because it is not specific in the people it helps it's right across the board and any one of us could need its help.

"I'm not raising money for something out in Africa, at the end of the day this is my area."

Mr Hempleman-Adams has almost finished fundraising for his third ambulance in Bradford on Avon.

In 2002 the Gazette and Herald helped raise thousands of pounds for a new ambulance for St John. Events during the year-long appeal including bag-packing, an exhibition of memorabilia from the Titanic and a fundraising walk.

Mrs Heather said: "The ambulances cost £50,000 and are full of specialist equipment, like a defibrillator, medical gasses, a spinal back board and a resuscitation unit.

"They really are vital for our first aid work. Our volunteers cover all events in the Chippenham area, such as the Eddy Cochran Festival, North Wiltshire Festival and the Christmas lights switch-on.

"We also provide back-up for ambulances."

Although the new ambulance has been in use since its delivery in July, its first official job will be the Slaughterford Nines this weekend.