The Great Western Air Ambulance team landed on a school field to visit South Gloucestershire 16-year-old Andrew Bryce, whose life they saved earlier this year.

Pupils at Katharine Lady Berkeley's School, Wotton-under-Edge, were treated to a close-up look at the helicopter as they held a fundraising day for the team, which relies on donations to provide its life-saving service.

The school learned just how important the Great Western Air Ambulance (GWAA) set-up is when Andrew was knocked over after getting off the school bus in July.

He suffered serious head injuries and lost several teeth in the incident, and the air ambulance crew anaesthetised him at the scene before flying him into Frenchay.

Andrew believes he may not have survived his injuries if it was not for GWAA and is determined to raise money to keep the helicopter flying.

The teenager and his dad, Adrian, decided to organise a non-uniform day and encouraged schools across South Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire to take part.

So the whole of Katharine Lady Berkeley's School left their school uniform at home for a day, and expect to have raised more than £1,250.

"It is great that so many people have got involved, it is really important to get funding for the air ambulance," said Andrew, of Charfield.

The school will also have a collection for the charity at its Christmas concert.

Deputy head teacher, Hanna Khan, said: "Andrew talks so much about the work of the air ambulance and how his family have got involved and it is great for the children to see first hand and get experience of what the helicopter does."

Sixth-form student Vicky West, 17, of Charfield, put Andrew into the recovery position after he was knocked over, using skills she picked up in her Tae Kwan Do class.

"It's great that he's made such a recovery and even though I wasn't in the air ambulance I think everyone here appreciates what they have done," she said.

GWAA medical advisor and air ambulance paramedic, Jonathan Benger, said: "It is hugely satisfying for us to see young men and women like Andrew able to continue a normal life after being seriously injured.

"We cannot fly without this kind of fundraising."

It costs £1.3 million a year to run GWAA because the only NHS funding is for paramedics and drugs. The air ambulance charity has to pay for the aircraft, fuel, uniforms and equipment.