Wiltshire Air Ambulance gifted tractor from Howard & Sons

The tractor will be used to transport the fuel bowser around the base for refuelling the helicopter.

It will also aid the upkeep of the charity’s land, with a mower attachment to cut the large FATO area (final approach and take-off area) and the option for a snow plough in wintry conditions.

Devizes-based Howard & Sons is a family-based company which has been involved in the agricultural industry for three generations.

Howard & Sons have been supplying tractors and farm machinery to the UK and exports markets for over 25 years and have been new Kubota main dealers for the Wiltshire & Somerset areas for the past three years.

Jason Howard from the firm said: “Wiltshire is an extremely rural area and we know the air ambulance is regularly called out to incidents on remote farm land and involving machinery.

“We wanted to play our small part and, having spoken to the staff at the airbase, it was felt this new Kubota tractor will be important for their work.”

Wiltshire Air Ambulance ground base manager Richard Miller said: “We can’t thank Howard & Sons enough for their support with the gifting of this tractor, as well as taking care of its servicing.

“It will be a huge help to our team as we look to carry out our lifesaving service up to 19 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“We would also like to thank the Salisbury office of NFU Mutual for covering the insurance costs for the tractor during this period.”

Wiltshire Air Ambulance is a charity that relies on generous donations from the public. It costs £4 million a year to keep the air ambulance flying and the charity receives no regular direct funding from the Government or National Lottery grants.