A second rapid response motorbike is helping paramedics save lives across the county after a vehicle bought by Oxford Mail readers proved a success.

The first rapid response medibike, which is designed and equipped to save lives by being first on the scene of incidents, was paid for thanks to a Mail appeal which raised £15,000.

Oxfordshire Ambulance Service has since decided to buy another after seeing how the original bike reached high-priority patients within eight minutes, greatly improving their chances of survival.

The bikes carry oxygen, a defibrillator and other equipment needed to keep patients alive until an ambulance arrives on the scene.

One bike will be based within the Oxford ring road and the other in Banbury. Two highly-trained riders will cover the entire county.

Paramedic Simon Holbrook, who rides the Oxford Mail medibike, said: "We have an eight-minute response time for immediately life-threatening calls. The first bike was achieving that very effectively. It became apparent if we got a second bike we would double that effectiveness.

"With most things thrown at us, we seem to be able to stop the patient deteriorating, and substantially get them more comfortable before the ambulance arrives - and in some cases get them a lot, lot better."

Mr Holbrook said the two 1100cc Honda Pan-European V4 machines, which have a top speed of 135mph, can weave through traffic to reach an injured person.

He emphasised that despite its effectiveness, the motorcycles were successful as part of a team effort that included ambulances and control room staff.

The Oxford Mail medibike, which entered service in June last year, was out of action for nine months after paramedic Eddie Webb was involved in a collision in Wallingford in July 2000.