'Day only' rescues for air base

Boulmer's Sea Kings currently provide 24-hour cover

Northumberland's RAF Boulmer will provide search and rescue cover during the daytime only, under new plans.

The changes will be introduced in 2012 when a private consortium takes over the UK's helicopter rescue service.

Currently the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) separately operate aircraft.

The MoD said effective night-time cover would be provided from other bases, but Berwick MP Alan Beith has raised concerns about the claims.

Mr Beith is seeking reassurances from Defence Minister Quentin Davies that the Search and Rescue Harmonisation (SAR-H) project will not affect response times.

In the light of the capability of these new helicopters we will continue to provide effective and responsive coverage

MoD spokesman

Two Sea King helicopters based at Boulmer typically carry out rescues in north-east England, south-east Scotland and the Lake District.

Sea Kings are equipped with winches, unlike the UK's fleet of air ambulances, and are often called to retrieve casualties from isolated locations, including sea rescues.

But the ageing helicopters - Boulmer's have been at the base since 1978 - are proving more difficult to maintain.

An MoD spokesman said: "SAR-H is planned to replace current MoD and MCA helicopter search and rescue around the UK in the next decade.

"It will operate new modern helicopters as a single fleet which will improve response times to incidents.

"In the light of the capability of these new helicopters we will continue to provide effective and responsive coverage including any surges in night-time incidents."

In some instances, the faster aircraft would mean quicker response times at night, he added.

Under the plans, rescue cover at RMB Chivenor in Devon will also become a daytime-only service.

Two consortiums, AirKnight and Soteria, are currently bidding for the government's SAR-H contract.