An emergency helipad is to be built on a small Hebridean island – with hands-on help from British Army soldiers.

Air ambulances will soon have a safe landing spot on the Isle of Gigha thanks to a collaboration between the Corps of Royal Engineers and charity Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (HELP) Appeal.

Although the community-owned island operates a “landing strip” of grass, it can become waterlogged and muddy – making it unsuitable for transporting patients rapidly to a hospital on the mainland during a medical emergency.

HELP Appeal has agreed to fund the £150,000 project, which will be built by 39 Engineer Regiment and local contractors.

The helipad is expected to be operational by April.

The Isle of Gigha, which has a population of around 160 people, is located three miles west of the Kintyre peninsula.

The rural residents purchased the island in 2022 for £4m under a community right-to-buy scheme.

They own the island through the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust.

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Robert Bertram, chief executive of HELP Appeal, said: “Gigha needs this helipad now as there is only one surgery on the island with no doctor. Thanks to our supporters, funding is available immediately.

“With the Royal Engineers on board, I’ve no doubt that construction will be as efficient as possible ensuring it opens this spring.

“Once built, the community will never have to fear that ground conditions will let them down again and they can be sure of a swift transfer off the island to hospital whenever they need it.

“I’m excited that this unique partnership will provide lifesaving access to hospital in an emergency.”

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The HELP Appeal – run by the County Air Ambulance Trust – provides grants to major trauma centres and hospitals across the UK to fund new or upgrade existing helipads.

In Scotland, the appeal has helped fund helipads at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, and at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

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