STAFF at a Hampshire airport are helping to keep the county's flying medics airborne.

Southampton Airport has announced that it has chosen the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) as its charity of the year for 2017 from a list of more than 20 good causes.

It currently costs more than £9,000 a day to maintain the lifesaving service which receives no government funding.

Throughout 2017 Southampton Airport and the HIOWAA team will be running events in the terminal to raise money, as well as awareness, for the charity.

HIOWAA will also partner with the airport for its annual Runway Run which sees up to 500 members of the public running 5k down the runway at 6am on a midsummer morning.

Last year's run raised more than £8,000 was raised and this year it is hoped to hit the £10,000 mark to celebrate the 10th anniversary of of the air ambulance..

This year the Runway Run will be held on June 25.