AMBULANCE chief John Sutherland has a price on his head - a cool £1m to be precise.

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 helicopter airborne.

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

After spending most of his career at the sharp end, he says he knows the benefits of the air ambulance when it comes to saving lives.

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

He was heavily involved in treating casualties during the recent disturbances in Bradford.

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

"When I first joined the service, speed was the only tool we had to save an injured or seriously ill patient - we used to call it 'scoop-and-run'," he said.

"But now, with the helicopter and its highly skilled paramedic crews, we can make a real difference between life and death.

"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."

* To make a donation or help raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance call 0845-120 6060.