Cornwall Air Ambulance is celebrating a special milestone taking to the skies for the 25,000th time.

The number of people assisted by the Cornish charity in its 28 year history is the equivalent to 60 Jumbo jets full.

The 25,000th mission took place on Tuesday, February 24 in the Gunnislake area, helping a mother and baby suffering serious burns from hot water.

The crew on the day – paramedics Stuart Croft and Mark Fuszard, with pilot Captain Craig Webster – worked alongside land paramedic colleagues to treat the two patients.

Paramedic Mark Fuszard said: “This was an unusual mission – not only for the fact it was our 25,000th rescue, but also because we had two patients to care for – a mother and her baby.

“The decision was made to take them to Derriford Hospital for urgent treatment. By road, the journey would have taken at least half an hour, but by air the patients were at hospital within just 7 minutes.

“We wish the mother and baby well in their recovery and our thoughts are with their family at what must be a hugely worrying time.”

The mission was one of the latest for the lifesaving helicopter, which flew 708 missions in 2014 alone and has already flown 88 rescues so far this year.

Cornwall Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance charity in the UK, formed in 1987, and will celebrate its 28th birthday on 1st April 2015.

Every year the charity flies around 700 emergency rescue missions, saving countless lives each year. Most patients are taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske for treatment, but the air ambulance also delivers patients to specialist units out of Cornwall.

Every year the Cornish public digs deep to raise the £3 million needed to keep the air ambulance in the sky.

Cornwall Air Ambulance chief executive Paula Martin said: “Every day Cornwall Air Ambulance is called on emergency rescue missions where someone, somewhere in Cornwall needs fast, specialist medical help in their moment of need.

“As a charity that receives no government funding for our running costs it is only thanks to the people and businesses of Cornwall that these missions can take place.

“Every day we receive letters, calls and emails of thanks from patients, their friends and families, and it really is on behalf of these people that we say thank you to our supporters, without whom not a single mission would be flown.”

To find out how you can support Cornwall Air Ambulance go to www.cornwallairambulance.org or call 01637 889926.