SAFETY workers have donated £1,500 to help keep the North-East's fleet of air ambulance helicopters flying.

Two of the three helicopters operated by the Great North Air Ambulance Service have been grounded by a funding crisis.

The fleet costs £2.5m a year to keep airborne, and the entire cost is provided by public donations.

A charity challenge organised at National Grid Transco's base, in Sunderland - in which staff are encouraged to report safety hazards in exchange for a company donation to charity - raised £1,500, which is now being handed to the charity.