It will cost £2.5m a year to keep the new air ambulance operational, compared with £700,000 for the current helicopter.

But WAA chief executive David Philpott said he was confident this could be sustained.

“We’re coming to the end of our financial year and it looks like we have turned over close to that,” he said.

“The people of Wiltshire have been amazing.”

The £2.5m includes the lease for the new US$8m (£5m) aircraft, which the charity will be able to swap for a new one in five years.

“It is future-proof,” said Mr Philpott.

Businesses paid a total of £50,000 sponsorship to have a presence at Friday’s launch event.

BBC Wiltshire presenter Graham Rogers said: “Far and away we get told about more events raising money for the air ambulance than for any other organisation in the county, and frankly I say thank goodness for that and long may it continue.”

Rebecca de la Bedoyere, WAA’s fundraising manager, said: “Even before I moved here a year ago I remember seeing all the collection boxes everywhere and thinking this must be a pretty special charity.

“Pretty much every day I’m just bowled over by how generous and supportive the people of Wiltshire are, how they really get behind us, how they really understand the need for the air ambulance and just do everything that they can and it all matters. Everybody doing their bit really makes a difference.

“We’re going to be here as long as the people of Wiltshire want us to be. Next year is our jubilee year and we want to keep flying for at least another 25 years.”

Mandy Clarke, WAA’s chair of trustees, said: “A massive thank you to the scores of volunteers who have shaken buckets, given talks and manned the shops.

“It is a real team effort.”