An MP has presented air ambulance staff with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee medals for their incredible emergency work.

Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch headed to the Rochester headquarters of the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) to hand out the awards to front line staff.

The Conservative politician was invited by KSS because of her role in persuading the government to let air ambulance charities staff be included in the medal allocation.

Before this campaign, which saw Ms Crouch rally support from 25 other MPs, nobody from that sector was included in the awards.

KSS chief executive David Welch said: "We wrote to Tracey Crouch earlier this year to highlight the exclusion of air ambulance staff from these awards and she immediately offered her support.

"Her actions resulted in the Department of Health and Social Care including eligible Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) staff.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the fact that 41 paramedics, doctors and pilots from team KSS received their prestigious Platinum Jubilee Medals.

"Without Tracey Crouch’s support, and the support from all our local MPs across Kent, Surrey and Sussex as well as Air Ambulances UK, it would not have been possible for them to have received this honour.”

Ms Crouch added: “The air ambulance is a vital part of our emergency services system and it seemed incredibly unfair that they were due to be exempt from recognition.

"With their base situated on the border of my constituency I often see the helicopter heading off to or returning from an incident, knowing that they are called to the most difficult and challenging of situations taking the equivalent of an emergency department right to the scene.

"It was my absolute privilege to co-ordinate a call for their inclusion in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medals and I am humbled to present them to some absolute heroes.”

Last year KSS' crews of pilots, doctors and paramedics responded to 3,051 incidents, the charity’s busiest year in its 32-year history – and so far this year, the service has been in demand more than ever before.

Each year, KSS must raise £15.2m to operate its life-saving service. For further information, visit www.aakss.org.uk

Some 86% of its total income is raised through the generosity of KSS’ supporters.