Air ambulance bosses are to start using a car so they can get doctors to the scene of night time accidents.
The scheme is being rolled out by Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) on Saturday nights at first, to gauge demand.
The charity currently only flies during daylight hours, when the majority of emergencies happen.
A spokesman said: “We are one of the few air ambulance services to carry doctors skilled in pre-hospital care on board who, alongside highly trained paramedics, can ‘take the hospital to the emergency scene’.
“We are therefore piloting the introduction of a night car service using the emergency response land-based vehicle traditionally used to supplement its helicopter service during the day.”
At night, helicopters are currently prevented by law from providing the type of service they can during the day, but changes in legislation look likely to permit this in the future.
Even then, night flights would be very expensive, but providing a well-located car can start helping straight away.
The spokeswoman said: “If this pilot scheme proves to be a valuable service TAAS will look to extend it.
“It will help provide a valuable insight as to when, and if, a night time helicopter service is warranted.”