THE organisers of a Thornbury music festival have presented Great Western Air Ambulance Charity with a cheque after they helped to save the life of one of their close friends.

Vicky Vatcher, a friend of the Mellow of the Meadow organisers, fractured her skull in a riding accident a week before this year’s festival.

She suffered a bleed on the brain, broken ribs and a punctured lung. Paramedic Jack Kilminster attended to her at the scene and transported her to Southmead Hospital. “It is amazing how quickly circumstances changed from being a normal day to waking up in hospital weeks later,” said Vicky.

“It was wonderful to meet Jack and hear about the care I received at the scene, I am grateful to have the opportunity to say an enormous thank you to Jack and the crew.”

Organisers of the festival visited the air ambulance’s base in Almondsbury last week to present a cheque for £5,000, the money raised from this year’s event for GWAAC. The ambulance charity relies on the public’s support for funding. Joe Hughes, community Fundraiser at GWAAC, said: “Mellow in the Meadow is a real South Gloucestershire success story and we’re thrilled to be a part of it. It’s only thanks to people like Lorna, Beth, Massey, Julia, Suze and Jackie doing amazing things like this that we can continue to save lives in South Gloucestershire and surrounding areas, so on behalf of everyone living or working in this region, thank you so very much.”