Sellafield staff have raised more than £22,000 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Earlier in the year, workers at the nuclear site voted for the service to be the company’s chosen charity for 2018, setting a target of £10,000.

They have exceeded this target by more than double, and raised £22,664.85 – which the charity says is on its way to being its largest donation from one company this year.

The fundraising was led by a committee of apprentice and graduate volunteers, who carried out more than 30 activities, including raffles and tuck shops, blood donor days, spinathons and the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge.

Hannah Powell, public liaison officer at GNAAS, said: “The impact of this support could mean the difference between life and death for someone out there.

“Everyone at Sellafield can be proud knowing they are helping us respond to someone in their hour of need.”

The Great North Air Ambulance Service operates across the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria and the average cost of a callout is £5,000.

Mark Cant, graduate development lead for Sellafield Ltd said: “The incredible work of the Great North Air Ambulance service has touched the lives of many of us who work at Sellafield.

“The fact that this charity was chosen by their colleagues made the apprentices and graduates even more determined to raise as much as possible and help saves lives in our region.

“It was their decision to double the target to £20,000, and they dedicated a huge amount of personal time and effort to ensuring they would not only exceed it, but double it."

The committee visited the ambulance crew to present them with the donation.