A KEY part of the region's air ambulance fleet will return to the skies later this year after charity bosses overcame a funding crisis.

The Great North Air Ambulance service had to ground two helicopters earlier this year, leaving just one based at Durham Tees Valley Airport.

Donations to the charity had plummeted because of the massive public response to the Asian tsunami disaster, last Boxing Day.

Helicopters based in Cumbria and Blyth were forced out of action as the charity could not find the £70,000 a month needed to keep each of them running.

But the service said yesterday that the Pride of Cumbria would be returning in August.

The helicopter, which has flown more than 200 missions, will be available for duty again from August 1.

Air ambulance chief executive Grahame Pickering said: "A big thank-you must go to all the people of Cumbria who have taken the air ambulance to their hearts."

The charity now wants public support to re-introduce the Blyth-based chopper to service across the Northumberland area.