A £250,000 donation to the North West Air Ambulance will help to save more lives, an MP has said.

Nigel Evans, who will fight to keep his Conservative seat in May’s general election, was speaking after visiting the charity’s headquarters to see the impact of the government money from penalties imposed on the financial sector in the wake of the Libor scandal.

And Mr Evans saw the work the organisation does first hand, as when he arrived at the helipad in Blackpool the air ambulance was called out to an emergency in Dunsop Bridge.

He said: “It was absolutely superb to see the air ambulance in action. This money is a great boost to the charity and it must be applauded.

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“It will keep the air ambulances in the air meaning it will help to save more lines.

“The air ambulance is particularly important for reaching rural areas, where it could take many minutes to get a road ambulance to a patient.

“Over the last 15 years, the air ambulances have been called out 17,000 times. It really is indispensable.”

Interim charity chief executive Fiona Morris, head of fundraising Jenny Haskey, and the crew at the charity’s Blackpool base, met with the MP to talk about the life-saving work it carries out each day.

Earlier this month, the government announced it was issuing a £5million donation to the Association of Air Ambulances from Libor fines.

The North West charity will be using its share of the fund towards the development of pre-hospital emergency medical education and training to allow it to deliver an even higher level of patient care.

The North West Air Ambulance’s helicopters fly 365 days a year, with doctors and paramedics on board providing rapid treatment.

Fiona said: “As a charity reliant ondonations, we are delighted the government has granted £250,000 to us.”