Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has raised £860,000 in just 12 weeks to relocate its airbase to Southampton Airport.

The charity is hoping to reach £1m of its £3.6m goal by Christmas.

This is part of its Operation Airbase appeal, which aims to convert and equip an existing building into a purpose-built airbase and office space.

This is the charity's biggest fundraising appeal in its 17-year history, as it plans to relocate from its current airbase in Thruxton, Andover, to a site near Southampton Airport.

The charity is hoping to reach £1m of its £3.6m goal by Christmas (Image: Tim Wallace) The move will allow the doctors and paramedics to reach almost every patient in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight within 10 minutes of take-off.

Currently, it takes 20 minutes or more for some locations.

The move is crucial as 70 per cent of the charity's call-outs are to the south of the region: Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

These are significant distances from the current airbase on the north-western edge of Hampshire.

The charity, now almost a quarter of the way to its target, is urging people across the region to donate and bring the helicopter and its crew closer to the community they serve year-round.

Richard Corbett, the charity's CEO, said: "Most of us will know someone whose life has been affected by the air ambulance in one way or another.

"This move will mean we can get to even more patients, affect even more lives.

"The support we’ve received so far has been nothing short of phenomenal, and we can’t thank everyone enough for their generosity."

Alexander from Winchester, who donated to the appeal, said: "Having lived in the Southampton and Winchester areas all my life, this is a hugely important cause.

"I really hope they are able to make the goal to move to the new facilities at Southampton Airport, bringing them closer to those who need their help."

Anyone interested in supporting the cause can get more information and make donations by visiting hiowaa.org/appeal.