Work is under way to build a new £7m air ambulance base at Norwich Airport.

Eastern Daily Press: East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) has begun work on a new £7m base at Norwich Airport. Picture: East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA)East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) has begun work on a new £7m base at Norwich Airport. Picture: East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) (Image: EAAA)

East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) staff, patients, supporters and volunteers attended an event to mark the start of work. Once completed, it will enable the crews to fly 24/seven for the first time.

The new base will provide essential rest and welfare facilities for the night crew and a state-of-the-art training room for its life-saving crew. A new community hub will be created so supporters and patients can interact with the charity.

Building work is expected to be completed by late 2020. Day to day operation has not been affected.

Patrick Peal, EAAA CEO, said: "We believe the time of day or night shouldn't dictate what type of emergency medical care is available in East Anglia, which is why we have been working hard to become 24/7 by helicopter for the last few years; building this new base will enable us to do that."