We've really been able to fly seven days a week because of the generosity of the AA

Andrew Egerton-Smith

The report, published on Thursday, showed the specialist helicopter, Anglia One, has been called out to more than 500 incidents.

More than half of those call-outs were to road crashes.

Other emergencies included horse-riding accidents, work and agriculture incidents or falls and collapses.

The service has been paid for by a combination of the AA sponsorship, fund raising and donations.

National sponsorship

Andrew Egerton-Smith, from the East Anglian Air Ambulance, said: "We've really been able to fly seven days a week because of the generosity of the AA.

"Without that we will struggle and the number of days that we can fly will have to be adjusted down quite considerably."

The AA funding began three years ago by offering air ambulance charities 100% of operational costs in the first year 75% in year two and 50% in year three.

Uncertain future

As East Anglia joined the scheme in the third year of this sponsorship, the service does not have the guarantee of two further years of funding.

Paramedic costs are not covered by cash from the AA and the service must reimburse the local NHS Trust at a rate of �120,450 per year for the full-time staffing of Anglia One.

The government is expected to announce whether it will offer cash to all air ambulances in the national network this week.