The landscape of Bradford, with its hills, moors and clogged road arteries, means that the service provided by the York-shire Air Ambulance is absolutely vital.

The helicopter service can attend patients and have them carried off to hospital within minutes, especially in out of the way places.

So it is probably no surprise that the Yorkshire Air Ambulance sees most of its action in the Bradford and District area.

Perhaps more surprising - but pleasantly so - is the fact that Bradford accounts for the lion's share of the contributions to keeping the ambulance in the air.

The aircraft is such a common sight in our skies that it's often easy to forget that it is a charitable concern - it is only the generosity of businesses and individual fund-raisers that ensures this vital service can continue to run.

The charity has this week taken delivery of a new helicopter to replace its former vehicle, which was 15 years old and becoming less reliable.

The new helicopter is currently being leased but can be bought outright if the charity - which received no Govern-ment funding - can raise £1.8 million.

The updated aircraft is capable of carrying more equipment, medics and patients and will undoubtedly save lives in Bradford and district.

In the four years that it has been airborne, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has flown 4,000 missions and helped the injured and ill across the district.

Now the team behind the charity is campaigning for yet more funds to buy the helicopter outright.

If they can do it, it will more than likely be because of the generosity and selflessness of its biggest supporters, the people of Bradford.