THE father of a girl whose life was saved by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has appealed for a rethink after councillors launched enforcement action at the service’s only base in North Yorkshire.

The call follows a decision by Hambleton District councillors to launch enforcement action at Bagby Airfield, near Thirsk, which serves as the air ambulance’s sole centre outside its Leeds HQ.

The action is an attempt to resolve a five-year dispute, which has included a public inquiry, between the airfield’s owner, Martin Scott, and residents in Bagby and Thirkleby over aircraft noise levels.

At a meeting in Northallerton Civic Centre, Mr Scott was told council officers would launch immediate enforcement action over the number of flights, the length of the runway and several buildings, some of which are used by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s crews.

In the case of the buildings it was not decided what form the enforcement action would take.

The decision was greeted with delight by campaigners.

Action4Refusal spokesman Bob Chapman said residents were hopeful it would lead to a decrease in noise levels.

But Mr Scott said the council’s decision could prove the last straw for air ambulance officials because he would be forced to remove the crew’s on-site facilities – a mess room and a toilet block.

He said: “You can’t expect the air ambulance crew to sit in the middle of a field crossing their legs.”

Charlotte Leighton, 16, who was flown to hospital with horrific injuries after a road accident in 2006, in Tollerton, ten miles from Babgby, said the air ambulance’s rapid response had saved her life and that the enforcement action should not be pursued.

Her father, Colin, said: “Response times are critical and if you can knock five or ten minutes off a journey that is critical. This decision would appear to be a bit pig-headed.”

A spokesman for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance said it was looking into what enforcement action would mean.

He said: “We were somewhat surprised by this story, as we had been given no indication that such action was likely to be taken.”

Hambleton district councillor Mark Robson said the enforcement officers would seek to reduce aircraft noise levels in the area rather than target specific activities.

He said: “Everyone appreciates the work of the air ambulance and we wouldn’t want to see its service affected in any way.

“The district council is not legally obliged to enforce anything. Each of the buildings will be looked at case-by-case by our officers.”