The Magpas air ambulance saw more demand on its services than ever in 2017.

The charity’s medical team was called to more than 1,600 life-threatening emergencies across all the counties in the East of England last year; in excess of 100 more call-outs compared to 2016.

In December last year alone, Magpas was called out 155 times, with 55 of those dispatches taking place between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Throughout that time, the charity’s doctor and paramedic team used their expert knowledge and skills to treat an extremely wide range of medical emergencies. From cardiac arrests and road traffic collisions to falls and assaults, this number of incidents exemplifies a significant increase from 2016 as well.

A spokesman for Magpas said the increase in demand “clearly demonstrates” the need for the service the charity provides.

The spokesman added: “Throughout the Christmas and new year break, Magpas Air Ambulance was the only service of its kind to be available 24/7 across the East of England and beyond.”

Natalie Church, the director of operations at Magpas, said: “All our dedicated medics and staff work tirelessly throughout the year to bring hospital-level care by land and by air to seriously ill and injured patients across the region.

“The demand for our charity is predicted to rise in 2018 and we will need to raise almost £5million to fund our vital service.

“We can only operate thanks to donations from the communities within which we work. Thanks to this crucial support, we will continue to provide patients with the very best chances of survival and recovery.”