The Gazette's campaign to save the Wiltshire Air Ambulance was today successful when the police announced they had reached a new five year deal.

After a seven month campaign to keep the shared air ambulance and Wiltshire Police helicopter led by the Gazette Wiltshire Police Authority has today announced it is to continue the partnership for a five year term.

The board of the Great Western Ambulance Service, which is the sole trustee of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charity, was meeting this afternoon to agree the terms.

Wiltshire's Chief Constable Brian Moore threatened to ground the helicopter if GWAS did not sign up for a five year deal.

GWAS was looking for a shorter term of one or two years while it reviewed air ambulance cover in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Avon prompting but the Gazette's campaign and petition signed by just under 20,000 people is thought to have resulted in it changing its mind.

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal was launched in 1990 and is funded entirely by the public.

The police pay over £1 million a year to operate the helicopter while the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal has to raise £350,000 a year.

Dr Richard Riseley-Prichard, who lives at Allington near Devizes and was co-founder of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal, said: "This is really very good news.

"It is the end of a long battle and we owe the Gazette and Herald a great debt of thanks for the campaign it led.

"There has been huge enthusiasm throughout the county to retain the Wiltshire Air Ambulance and police helicopter."

Police authority chairman Christopher Hoaresaid: “The Police Air Ambulance has served Wiltshire well for the last ten years.

"It is highly valued and extremely well supported by the public.

"The Authority has carefully weighed the considerable costs involved in police air support against the benefits to the people of Wiltshire and we have concluded that the service should continue.

“The service is obviously expensive. It is funded, in part, by public support through the Air Ambulance Appeal. Wiltshire Police Authority, however, is the main contributor and we fund the majority of the cost through the policing element of the council tax.

"Clearly, what we spend on the helicopter will not be available to spend on other things. The Chief Constable has identified a number of service improvements that he considers essential for the coming tax year 2009/10.

"Given that the helicopter service is to continue, some of the improvements may not now be affordable unless we consider a higher council tax level than we might otherwise wish.

"The authority will set the policing element of the council tax when it agrees its budget for 2009/10 in February next year.

"As with all public services, we face some difficult decisions in balancing what needs to be done within finite resources and the need to contain council tax increases.

"We are now closely involved with the force in developing our plans which will identify the essential activities and how these are to be paid for.

"Whatever the final outcome of our planning, I can confirm today that provision will be made for the Police Air Ambulance to continue.

"In reaching our conclusion, members of the Police Authority recognised the huge public commitment there is to maintaining the Police Air Ambulance service and were determined to respond to this.

“We are confident that the final arrangements will to be approved by the board of the Great Western Ambulance Service, the Air Ambulance Appeal and the helicopter service provider.

"We are looking at an agreement to cover the next five years.

"The police authority is very glad that the two emergency services will continue to operate the police air ambulance for the benefit of the people of Swindon and Wiltshire.”