A CRASH involving a car and a lorry on the A417 near Cirencester was the first mission carried out by the new Wiltshire Air Ambulance's.

Police and an ambulance were called to the A417 London Road after the collision between a Mitsubishi Warrior and a 44-ton lorry at the Cherry Tree Lane junction at about 11am.

The Mitsubishi driver was taken to Great Western Hospital by the Air Ambulance while the lorry driver was treated at the scene.

Traffic is beginning to move again on London Road but the Cherry Tree Lane junction is closed, a police spokeswoman said.

The Mitsubishi appeared to be carrying a large amount of rubbish but most of it appeared to have stayed on the vehicle even after the crash.

The charity was only given the go-ahead for its new Bell 429 to undertake Helicopter Emergency Medical Service missions following a visit by the Civil Aviation Authority yesterday.

The charity has signed a 3 year lease with Wiltshire Police for its helicopter to be based at a hangar at Wiltshire Police Headquarters, Devizes, until it has found a suitable site to build a permanent home and visitor centre.