A Carlisle News & Star campaign has helped to launch Cumbria's own air ambulance service, less than a year after it began.

The paper set its Sky Medics campaign an overall target of £300,000 last September and has since helped raise £110,000 in conjunction with Great North Air Ambulance.

The cash is enough to launch the helicopter but further donations are still needed to reach the target and keep it in the skies.

News & Star promotions manager David McNeill said: "We've raised enough to get the ambulance in the air but we are keeping the appeal open to get enough money to cover its running costs.

"The beauty of the appeal is that we have had some fantastic stories showing the devastation of car crashes with pictures showing an air ambulance in the background. This shows the emotional side of it and brings the money in."

David said the News & Star also featured a story about the air ambulance pilot who has just returned from Kuwait where he was using a helicopter to protect the Iraqi prime minister from snipers.

Until now, Carlisle has been served by an air ambulance from the north east but the new helicopter will be able to reach any location in Cumbria within 11 minutes from its Penrith base.

David said: "People realise how important it is for the area. Getting the News & Star involved on an emotional level has shown people it's not just a news story."

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