AFTER a two-year quest to find a suitable site, and to raise the funds to buy and install the specialised lighting, Bradford and Cookbury Parish Council has successfully completed the project to establish a community landing site for the Devon Air Ambulance (DAA) helicopter.

This will add to the increasing number of rural parish landing sites used ‘during the hours of darkness’ throughout Devon.

This community landing site, centrally located at Holemoor, Bradford, will enable a more rapid response for local parishioners in need of urgent medical attention. Flying times to North Devon District Hospital, Royal Devon and Exeter (RD&E), and Derriford hospitals can be measured in minutes and with the new landing site, emergency pre-hospital care can be given to patients before they are transferred to the hospital best serving their needs.

The funding was raise by the parish council with grants from Devon County councillor Barry Parsons, Torridge District councillor Philip Hackett, DAA Bank LIBOR fund and a contribution from the parish council. The landowner, Mr Dave Tanswell, has generously offered to host the landing site lighting on his property.

Toby Russell, community landing site development officer, said: “We are grateful to Dave Tanswell for offering his field as a community landing site, as prior to his kind offer we were struggling to find a strategically located point in the community. Everyone quickly rallied around to make this project happen; from raising the funds for the lighting solution to carrying out works in the field to improve access — our thanks to all those who have helped deliver this community project.”

The parish council hopes to dedicate this facility to the memory of the late parish councillor David Manifold, who was a major instigator and supporter of the project.