WILTSHIRE Air Ambulance has been handed a lucky donation from a Swindon accountancy firm for the 13th year in a row.

MHA Monahans, which has an office in Old Town, has helped to organise fundraising for the charity for the last 13 years, raising a total of £147,000.

The cash is generated by the White Horse Challenge, an annual weekend that gets walkers from the firm and its partners, Rygor Commercials and the Rocking Horse Nursery, to choose a route touring seven iconic chalk white horses spread across Wiltshire, from .

This year’s challenge raised £2,056 and saw more than 60 walkers take part - some of them trekking up to 52 miles over two very hot days. The challenge was also completed in record time.

MHA Monahans partner James Gare, handed over the cheque at the new Wiltshire Air Ambulance base with Graham Drake from Rygor and Clive Milner from the nursery.

He said: “Each year we continue to be blown away by the effort and dedication that the crew and their supporting team show and the incredible, life-saving stories they tell.

“We have always felt it is vitally important to support our local air ambulance as they receive no government funding, yet many of us know people who would not be here today if it wasn’t for them. We’re proud to support the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.”

Hollie Perryman, community relationship assistant at Wiltshire Air Ambulance, which relies on grants and donations, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took part in last year’s White Horse Challenge and the organisers for their donation to our lifesaving charity.

"The amount raised during the 13 years that the event has been held is phenomenal and everyone who has been involved with it should be proud of their fantastic efforts.

She added: "The funds raised has enabled our helicopter and aircrew to keep flying and saving lives.”