A NEW weather station in Bude will help the Cornwall Air Ambulance save even more lives on and around the North coast.

The facility will assist in the reporting of local conditions, making it easier to determine whether the helicopter can fly to incidents safely.

Up until now, pilots have relied on information from weather stations located in Newquay, Penzance, and the Isles of Scilly, and it hasn’t always been accurate enough to permit a safe launch.

Dramatic differences in weather conditions are often seen at opposite ends of the county, and the new site will provide valuable data for the North Cornwall area, says the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust.

The weather station has been built on land owned by Bude-Stratton Town Council, behind the council building, and was funded with a £26,000 donation from charity ambassador Dr Karen J Dickens.

Members of the council offered their support to the project along the way.

Karen said: “The Cornish people did an amazing job of raising the funds to buy the new helicopter and continue to do so to keep the critical care paramedics in the air.

“So, it is only right that the charity’s pilots have access to the best and most up-to-date information too.”

The Bude facility won’t just support Cornwall Air Ambulance missions, but will also help other emergency services in the county, too.

“The critical care paramedics and pilots do an incredible job every day,” Karen continued. “And I am glad that I can support them in their lifesaving missions with my personal donations and fundraising activities, along with those of my company, Comitti Boats UK & Caribbean.”

Following the launch of the station, Richard Dixon, pilot for Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “The weather in Cornwall is extremely changeable and yet there are limited weather stations throughout the county.

“The new station in Bude will help us make important decisions on when to operate the helicopter.”