We have already broken our target in just six weeks, raising more than £12,000 - that's nearly £300 a day.

Thrilled Barbara Parish, regional fundraiser for the Air Ambulance said: "That's just incredible. We are extremely grateful and can't thank the Melton Times and all its readers enough.

"I can confirm that we are closing in on our £300,000 fundraising target to get operational and we will be flying from East Midlands Airport from April 1. The helicopter is being given its new livery and all the final checks are being carried out."

And MP Alan Duncan was bowled over by our success.

He said: "Well done Melton, it's really great news. We never know when we might need the Air Ambulance and an act of generosity now, may be the best few quid ever spent."

But let's not rest on our laurels just yet.

The service may be ready to start saving lives in the area, but it gets no Government funding and no money from the lottery to keep up the good work.

Barbara said: "The message now is please keep it going, please keep the money coming in as this vital service needs to raise £1.5m from voluntary donations every year."

And Michael Cooke, Editor of the Melton Times, said: "To hit our target in just six weeks is amazing, now we want to smash it in the four remaining weeks of our appeal. There is still time to get involved, to hold or support an event, and please do tell us about it by ringing our hotline on (01664) 412522."

Last week you had already raised an incredible £9,000, tantalisingly close to our target.

So when most of Melton painted the town yellow, the £10,000 barrier was smashed, raising well over £2,000 in just one day.

But while we were enjoying the Bring a Pound to Work Day, the importance of the Angel of the Skies was highlighted in a head-on collision near Waltham.

The Air Ambulance was called to the accident between Eastwell and Waltham-on-the-Wolds after a Toyota Landcruiser and a Ford Mondeo collided.

The driver of the car was trapped and had to be cut out by the emergency services.

He was flown to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre where he is currently being monitored but is expected to make a full recovery.

But the service he received would not have been possible without the voluntary donations made by you.

And workers at Jeld-Wen rallied round the cause, raising a fantastic £1,000.

Organiser Pat Checketts said: "We're just over the moon. We were aiming for £1,000 but I was really nervous we might not make the target.