The trustees of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance have resigned in protest at being kept in the dark over key issues.

The trustees stood down yesterday and have released a statement saying there had been a lack of communication between the ambulance service and the national air ambulance association.

A new charity Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance has been set up in its place and three new trustees have been appointed. One of the issues was the loss of their state-of-the-art helicopter Agusta following a heavy landing in June. It was replaced by a slower aircraft which can only carry one patient instead of two.

Charity fundraiser Stevie Horton said of the difference between the Agusta and the Squirrel: "It is still saving lives, it is just an older model."