Greg Brownson gets up at 5.30am every day for a 7 o'clock start. His helicopters save four people a day on average and he loves his job.

In the aftermath of a violent head-on smash, with her youngest child screaming for "mummy", Debbie Bell looked at her legs and knew she was in trouble.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown has voted to slash funding to the Westpac rescue helicopter service, three days after assuring the service he would sort out a $900,000 funding gap.

The Auckland Council has approved a $14.3 million funding package for 10 regional amenities, which includes a cut for the Westpac helicopter rescue service.

A plan by Auckland Mayor Len Brown to fill a $900,000 gap in the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust's running costs has hit a legal obstacle for council funding.

Auckland's rescue helicopter service claims it has been starved of money - but it turns out to be much better off than its fellow charities.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown was right to act to end a costly court case involving the Auckland rescue helicopter trust and the regional amenities funding body.

Len Brown has called for a funding board at the centre of a row with the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust to be scrapped after its push to slash funding for the trust.

A drop in funding of nearly $500,000 to the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust is set to go ahead, a grant allocation board says.

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust said it has no option but to head to court today over its funding.

Auckland ratepayers are up for a $500,000 legal bill to defend a court case brought by the city's Westpac rescue helicopter service.

Alice Mooney saw the horse rear and then watched as it fell towards her and slammed her into the ground.

Martin lies in agony, his clavicle broken and three fingers mangled beyond recognition. He has no idea what is about to happen.

Waiheke Island residents have rallied to help the Auckland rescue helicopter service which made 265 trips there last year and needs an all-weather landing pad.

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust has an odd way of trying to persuade Auckland Council that it's down to its last can of aviation fuel, writes Brian Rudman.

Lying upside down with her scalp gashed open and an arm pinned under her friend's car, 15-year-old Zoe Hendriks came within minutes of not getting the help she so seriously needed.

Boaties will have their chance to beat one of the best in the business in an Auckland fundraising regatta.