THE service that saves lives can raise a glass of its own beer thanks to a south Shropshire brewery.

Edward Wood, boss of the brewery near Craven Arms also has a very special and personal reason for supporting the Midland Air Ambulance.

Shropshire’s airborne emergency lifesaver, the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, chose its 25th anniversary garden party to unveil a new beer that will help boost its funds.

Red Rescue is the idea of Edward Wood, Managing Director of south Shropshire’s Wood Brewery, with the brewers set to donate 5p for every bottle or pint of draught Red Rescue sold over the coming months.

Edward had special reason for choosing Air Ambulance as the brewery’s charity for the year. The airborne service helped save the life of his son Jonathan some years ago following a freak cricketing accident.

Jonathan was flown from Shrewsbury for emergency brain surgery in Stoke. He went straight to the operating theatre for life saving treatment and made a full recovery.

“It’s not until you’re in these situations that you realise the real value of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity – and it relies entirely on voluntary donations,” said Edward.

Red Rescue is a pale ale with a difference – a red-coloured malt gives a unique ruby glow to the 4.2% beer. The draught beer from the brewery at Wistanstow, near Craven Arms, is already selling well in pubs around Shropshire and the West Midlands.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity provides the primary response to six counties: West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, dealing with on average 2,000 callouts each year.

It operates from Tatenhill Airport in Staffordshire, RAF Cosford, near Wolverhampton, and Strensham North Services on the M5.