'A number' of helicopters have fuel gauge issue

"A number" of helicopters from the same fleet as one that crashed into a Scottish pub have a problem with their fuel indicators, their aircraft's owner has confirmed.

One of their EC135 helicopters, leased to the police, hit the roof of the Clutha pub in Glasgow last month, killing 10 people.

The firms's 22 remaining type of choppers were grounded yesterday to undergo checks after a technical fault was found in one of them .

The firm's spokesman could not say how many helicopters had the fault, but added that the work was expected to have been completed by Sunday.

The National Police Air Service have announced that they increasing fuel levels in helicopters as a "precautionary measure" following reports of a technical issue on an aircraft.

Chief Superintendent Ian Whitehouse, National Police Air Service Chief Operating Officer, said:

“In light of the technical issue identified by Bond Air Services, as a precautionary measure, we are increasing fuel levels on all NPAS EC135 aircraft and increasing the minimum level of fuel which pilots are allowed to operate on.

The service refused to comment on any potential links to the investigation into the Glasgow crash which killed ten people.

East Anglia air ambulances have returned to service after helicopter operator Bond Air Services suspended a number of flights over a "defect" in one aircraft.

Wales Ambulance Service said two of its three helicopters had been cleared to fly with checks continuing on a third aircraft.

Police Scotland said earlier restrictions on the flight of EC135 helicopters had been lifted and their helicopter had been cleared to fly.

A spokeswoman said: "As of 3.18pm today ... the Police Scotland Air Support Unit is now fully operational."

Eurocopter, which builds EC135 helicopters, said the decision to ground some of the aircraft fleet was taken by the operator Bond Air Services:

The air ambulance service for Hampshire and Isle of Wight has now been cleared to fly.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said that alternative services would be found to ensure that there was adequate cover for the grounded aircraft:

The Air Ambulance Association has confirmed that programs are in place to ensure that all parts of the country are still covered by alternative air ambulance services:

Read the full statement here