THE owners of a Calne travel company and its customers have raised nearly £3,000 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance (WAA).

Marion and Dennis Davies, who began operating Marden Travel in 1983, decided to retire last year after more than 30 years of arranging tours for people in the UK and abroad.

During their final year, Mr and Mrs Davies asked their customers to make donations to WAA and matched each one pound-for-pound, making a grand total of £2,820.

Mr Davies said: “We’ve supported the work the Wiltshire Air Ambulance has carried out for a number of years and saw our final year as a good opportunity to get involved.

“We’d like to thank everyone for their donations and support.”

Friends of WAA help to secure the long-term future of the charity by providing regular donations which are used to help purchase equipment and kit for the helicopter, provide additional training for paramedics and fund essential items such as aviation fuel.

Karen Gambrell, Friends and Legacies Manager at WAA, said: “We’re so grateful to Marion and Dennis Davies and their customers for raising funds for us. Their donation will help keep our helicopter flying and saving lives.”