Bosses at Wiltshire Air Ambulance are encouraging people to leap out of a plane to raise money.

The charity has organised three skydives, on April 12, June 15 and August 16, at Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury.

Participants will jump out of a plane at 10,000ft – approximately two miles up – and will travel at speeds of around 120mph and experience up to 30 seconds of free-fall before their parachute opens.

Last year more than 20 people took up the aerial challenge to raise more than £7,000 for the charity.

South Western Ambulance Service paramedic Ed Bowyer, who helped organise the 2013 skydives and who has completed over 1,000 jumps himself, said: “Wiltshire Air Ambulance does an amazing job and this is a great way to raise money for the charity and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the same time.”

Wiltshire Air Ambulance paramedic Luke MacCallum, 42, has signed up to take part in the skydive on April 12 and will be joined by several people whose families have been treated and airlifted.

Mr MacCallum said: “I thought it would be a great way to not only raise money for the charity, but also to promote what we do. So we will literally be falling out of the sky to help keep the air ambulance in the sky.”

The charity has to raise £700,000 a year to keep the air ambulance flying, but from December it will have to raise £2.5 million a year as its partnership with the police is ending and it will have its own helicopter.

To take part in the skydive you need to raise a minimum of £350 and a £50 deposit will secure your place. For more information, call Claire on 01380 739453 or email claire@ wiltshireairambulance.co.uk to book your place.

Full details are on the charity’s website at www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk