Yorkshire Air Ambulance have appointed a Masham woman as their new regional fundraiser for North Yorkshire.

Helen Gowans, 49, previously ran a small family timber business and has more than 20 years experience in sales.

She joins a small team of fundraisers working for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and will help raise the £9,990 a day it needs to keep its two helicopters in the air.

Helen, who lives in Masham, said she was pleased to be working with a charity so well known and valued in rural parts of the county.

She added: “I wanted a new challenge andwanted to move into the charitable sector, so I handed over the reins of the business to my son and am really enjoying this new role.”