The first Wiltshire police knew of plans to scrap the link between the air ambulance and the force was when they read it in the Gazette on Thursday.

The constabulary's director of finance, Matt Bennion-Pedley, said: "The article in the Gazette and Herald was news to us. I am able to confirm on behalf of the Wiltshire police that there have been no negotiations or discussions with the Great Western Ambulance Trust relating to the future of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

"As far as we are concerned it is business as usual."

The Gazette revealed last week that the Great Western Ambulance Trust, formed in April following the merger of Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire ambulance services, was looking at splitting from the shared facility with Wiltshire police's helicopter, which would mean the end of night flying for the air ambulance.

The trust is also planning to transfer the money raised for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal, more than £1 million, into a new Great Western Air Ambulance charity.

Bertie Woolnough, chairman of Wiltshire Police Authority, said: "I would be very concerned if there was some form of unilateral change to the funding arrangements, which could put pressure on the police."

Meanwhile it has emerged that Tim Lynch, chief executive of the ambulance trust, wrote to Wiltshire County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee on October 19 outlining plans for change.

These suggest the closing of ambulance stations and relocating vehicles and staff alongside community hospitals and GP surgeries.

Mr Lynch also states that the three ambulance control rooms could be replaced by one.

Melanie Chiswell, head of communications at the ambulance trust, said proposals were being worked on and said the air ambulance was not discussed at a trust board meeting last Wednesday, despite correspondence that the Gazette has seen which said it was going to be.

She said all staff, except those on the front line, had received at risk of redundancy letters following the merger. From January, she said, the answering of 999 calls was to be transferred from the Gloucestershire control room to Bristol.

Wiltshire calls will still be answered at the joint control room in Devizes.