A GRATEFUL mum has welcomed the prospect of Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s lifesaving crews and helicopter moving to her home village.

Sam Pothecary, of Semington, near Devizes, started a Facebook campaign supporting the charity’s move to Outmarsh Farm, where it will build its new airbase for its aircrew and fundraising team.

Sam, of Highfield Close, knows from personal experience about the expertise of the air ambulance’s paramedics after they treated her seriously ill baby.

At four weeks old, Sam’s daughter, Mia Burry, developed bronchiolitis and was struggling to breathe.

Sam and Mia were at Sam’s parent’s house, also in Semington, on the evening of December 12 2014 when Mia became very unwell and they called 999.

A land ambulance arrived followed shortly afterwards by Wiltshire Air Ambulance Critical Care Paramedics Richard Miller and Louise Cox in the Rapid Response Vehicle (car).

Mia was given oxygen and then taken to the Royal United Hospital, Bath, and treated in the High Dependency Unit.

Doctors diagnosed pneumonia the following morning and the day after that Mia developed the potentially fatal condition sepsis.

After treatment for a week Mia recovered and returned home and is now a healthy two-year-old.

Sam, 26, said: “Mia’s condition was life-threatening. When we were at my parent’s house my dad, who is a paramedic, thought she was going to stop breathing because she was so poorly.

“Within minutes a land ambulance arrived along with the air ambulance crew on the Rapid Response Vehicle. They rushed Mia straight out to the ambulance and to hospital. The land ambulance paramedics and the air ambulance paramedics were very caring and professional and I truly believe if it wasn’t for them that Mia would not have survived.”

Sam, who also has a four-year-old-son, Archie, added: “I believe that the Wiltshire Air Ambulance is an invaluable service to our county and surrounding areas. We are very fortunate to have such highly skilled paramedics on hand should the worse ever happen.

“The idea of the new base coming to Semington is fantastic. It’s a central location for the county and myself, along with many other locals, will feel very reassured knowing that the aircraft, RRV and its crew are so close.

“I set up a Facebook page to encourage villagers to get behind the project. The response has been really positive and I’m looking forward to the air ambulance moving in.”