THE Wiltshire Air Ambulance is appealing to the public to hunt through drawers for old foreign coins from long-forgotten holidays.

With the help of Swindon-based American Express, all those dollars, euros and rupees can be turned into much-needed funds for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal. Tracey Edwards, Fundraising Coordinator for the Appeal, said: "We have to raise over £320,000 annually to provide the service, and the foreign coins appeal will help us enormously to reach this goal."

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal does not receive Government funding nor does it qualify for funding from the National Lottery.

Over the past 13 years, the Wiltshire Air Ambulance has helped rescue and airlift more than 1,600 people to hospital.

Anyone wishing to help the appeal can find out more by contacting Tracey Edwards or Mary Laing at the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeals Office, Air Operations Unit, Police Headquarters, London Road, Devizes, SN10 2DN. Telephone 01380 739453 or 07970920414 or email: wiltshire.airambulance@virgin.net