Air ambulance named after Fulham pupil's grandad

Megan Stocker won a competition and named the new chopper after her late grandfather Walter

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Megan Stocker won the competition to name the new air ambulance

A six-year-old Fulham schoolgirl has won a competition which allowed her to name London’s new air ambulance.

Megan Stocker, a pupil at Holy Cross primary school in Parsons Green, decided to call the helicopter Walter, after her late grandfather.

Megan reasoned that as her granddad lived up among the stars, he would be able to keep a watchful eye on the air ambulance as it did its work.

The new helicopter took to the air for the first time last month, with Megan going along to the helipad at the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel to watch it take off.

Her competition entry was picked by a panel of paramedics, firefighters, pilots and doctors.

The new air ambulance was launched following a fundraising campaign. It costs £6million a year to run.

“My granddad is named Wally, and lives in the moon and stars with the angels, so he would help keep the helicopter safe in the sky when it's helping people,” explained Megan. “He is my hero and my angel in the sky, and I will share him to help the other people.”

When she heard that her entry had won, the schoolgirl was thrilled.

“I entered the competition because I love helicopters and wanted to make my granddad proud,” she said. “I felt really happy and excited when I found out I had won and couldn’t wait to come see the new helicopter. It was so shiny! Now with my granddad’s name on it he will help keep it safe from up in heaven.”

The capital’s air ambulance service was set up in 1989, and has treated more than 34,000 critically injured people, attending most major incidents within the M25.

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