HAMPSHIRE and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance was back on duty today after being temporarily grounded yesterday over safety fears.

The helicopter was one of 22 of a particular model taken out of service across the UK after a defect was discovered on a recent flight.

It was also the model that crashed on a pub in Glasgow last month, killing ten people.

Operator Bond Air Services grounded its fleet of 22 EC135 helicopters yesterday as a precaution while the issue, which arose on Wednesday was examined.

But many were back in operation by last night.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance was cleared to fly just after 3pm.

The Police Scotland helicopter that crashed into the roof of the Clutha bar in Glasgow on November 29 was a Bond-operated Eurocopter EC135 Type 2 aircraft.

An initial Air Accidents Investigation Branch report issued this week said there was “no evidence of major mechanical disruption of either engine” of the helicopter.

A statement from Bond Air Services said during normal operations, one of its EC135 fleet had experienced an “indication defect that requires further technical investigation”.

Therefore, it said, it temporarily suspended service operations as a precautionary measure while it diagnosed the problem.