AMBULANCE boss John Sutherland is a man who has to live with a price on his head - a cool £1m.

He is to lead the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity's team of fundraisers, who need to raise more than £1m a year to keep the life-saving helicopter airborne.

The new director of fundraising joined the service 34 years ago and was the first person to qualify as a paramedic in North Yorkshire.

And having spent most of his career at the sharp end, he knows the benefits of the air ambulance when it comes to saving lives.

He began as an ambulanceman in 1968, serving in Keighley, Scarborough, York and more recently across West Yorkshire.

A long-serving member of Lions Clubs International, he has wide experience of fundraising and caring for the community.

Mr Sutherland said: "My team has a strong fundraising background and I shall be putting my knowledge of the ambulance service and my team-management skills at their disposal."

* Anyone wishing to help to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance should call (0845) 120 6060.