THURROCK had a rare visitor yesterday when an emergency helicopter dropped in to help out a stricken Thurrock resident.

Normally when an incident requires air transport in Thurrock, the helicopters of the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance service, based at North Weald, are used.

However, yesterday (Sunday, 28 June) they were already out on service when the alarm was raised after a resident in Clarence Road, Grays, was injured in a fall.

So an aircraft from the neighbouring East of England Magpas Air Ambulance was called and landed in Grays Town Park early in the morning.

Paramedics from East of England Ambulance Service also attended and in the end the patient was transferred by road to Basildon & Thurrock Hospital for treatment.

The Magpas Air Ambulance mainly serves Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and other northern regions of the east of England, operating out of RAF Wyton near St Ives in Cambridgeshire. It is rarely seen in South Essex.

It is the oldest air ambulance service in the UK. founded in 1971.