THE Yorkshire Air Ambulance has announced the arrival of its brand new helicopter - which is said to be the first of its kind.

The H145 D3 Helicopter has come directly off the production line in Germany and into the UK. The new model has a whole host of technologically advanced features that will make the service more efficient.

Steve Waudby, director of Aviation at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: "It is very exciting news for us to announce the arrival of our new H145 D3 Helicopter.

"The big difference you’ll notice is that this new helicopter has five rotor blades, which means it's a lot smoother. It’s also slightly lighter, because the anti-vibration equipment has been removed."

York Press: The new helicopter has arrived from GermanyThe new helicopter has arrived from Germany (Image: UGC)

The two current helicopters, G-YAAC and G-YOAA, which came into service in 2016, will be phased out within the next 12 months.

The first of the new Helicopters, G-YAAA, will start active duty at the end of March and a second new Helicopter, G-YORX will join the service shortly after in early summer.