Becky Johnson, Midlands correspondent
Duran Duran front man Simon Le Bon has become an ambassador for the Air Ambulance Service, having been rescued following a yachting accident in the 1980s.
The singer donned a pilot's outfit to show off his new allegiance and says he plans to help with fundraising and awareness campaigns.
He will also support the launch this year of a children's air ambulance which will be dedicated to the transfer of critically ill youngsters and babies between specialist hospitals across the UK.
The star has met staff at the charity's headquarters in Coventry and was presented with the pilot's outfit.
In 1985, Le Bon was part of a team competing in the Fastnet Yacht Race until their yacht DRUM capsized after its keel was sheared off.
Along with other crew members, he was trapped under water inside the yacht's hull for 40 minutes before being rescued and winched to safety by the Royal Navy search and rescue.
The singer, whose band has sold in excess of 80 million records, said: "It's vitally important for us to have an Air Ambulance Service in Great Britain.
"I am speaking as someone who is only here today because of the life saving efforts of a Royal Navy helicopter rescue team.
"The Air Ambulance Service is designed to come to the aid of those in need of emergency medical attention, in places where a regular ambulance and its attendant paramedics would not be able to arrive in time to administer the rapid response care that so often saves lives.
"The service only exists because of the generosity of the charitable donations made by the general public. It is my intention to do all I can to raise the profile of Taas and to help maintain the crucial flow of funds.
"I would urge people to visit the Air Ambulance Service website and look at the incredible work these people do and to make a donation."
First established in 2003 as a charitable organisation, the Air Ambulance Service now provides a helicopter emergency medical service across five counties in the heart of England.
Operating out of Coventry and East Midlands airports, it provides two fast response Agusta civilian helicopters that can be airborne in less than 45 seconds.
With a top speed of 200mph, a team of paramedics and a doctor can respond to a call within minutes.
This rapid response emergency service can often mean the critical difference in saving lives and life-changing injuries.
Courtesy Sky News Showbiz
