THE Yorkshire Air Ambulance took to the skies with a Hurricane fighter plane to celebrate the lifesaving craft's third birthday.

It was a chance for spectators to see a Messerschmitt, makers of the air ambulance helicopter, and a Hurricane flying together when they took off from Breighton Airfield, near Selby, yesterday afternoon.

Past and present aircrew of the helicopter gathered together for the unique flypast.

Air ambulance pilot John Sutherland, a former RAF display pilot, said he was looking forward to flying in formation with the World War Two Hurricane.

He said: "The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is a Messerschmitt Bolkow, so we will have a Messerschmitt and a Hurricane flying in the skies above Yorkshire.

"It will be a great privilege to fly alongside a Hurricane and it's a memorable way to celebrate the charity's third birthday."

The event was the brainchild of Thirsk Emergency Medical Technician Dave Gardiner.

The Hurricane, one of only five in the world which still fly, was built in 1943 and served in Canada for the duration of the war with a coastal defence squadron and a training unit.

Owned by Leeds businessman Rob Fleming, the plane moved to the headquarters of the Real Aeroplane Company at Breighton, a former Second World War bomber base, in 1997.

Since October 2000 the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has been scrambled about 3,400 times, carried more than 580 patients to hospital and treated another 750 patients.

Based at Leeds/Bradford Airport, the helicopter costs £1m a year to run and relies predominantly on voluntary donations.

Anyone who wants to help with fundraising or make a donation, should phone the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity Office on 0845 120 6060.

Updated: 10:58 Thursday, October 23, 2003