A man is helping to organise an auction which aims to raise £30,000 for Cornwall Air Ambulance, after the charity saved his wife's life when she suffered serious burns.

Steve Michell, 39, head of media for the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, believes he owes a debt of gratitude to the life-saving charity after they saved his wife, Lisa Michell.

Lisa, a 43-year-old headteacher at Ladock School, suffered serious burns when a can of petrol exploded at a family barbecue at their Truro home, leaving her with burns to a third of her body.

The emergency services were called and a land ambulance attended, but when they realised the extent of Lisa's injuries the Air Ambulance was despatched.

She was then flown to the Welsh Centre for Burns in Swansea, where she received surgery which Steve believes saved her life.

Steve said: "We were having a family barbecue and Lisa was set on fire after an explosion and suffered severe burns.

"It was a little bottle of petrol, a third of her body was burned.

"A land ambulance arrived but when they realised how severe it was they called the air ambulance.

"They got her to a specialist unit in Wales in about 50 minutes, they probably saved her life.

"She was in hospital for six weeks. This is a charity that means a lot to me so we've done whatever we can to repay the debt.

"She's still having operations but all things considered she's OK.

"I'd like to thank Cornwall Air Ambulance for all the hard work they put in to keep us all safe."

To raise funds Steve is now helping with a charity auction for the charity, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

More than 100 lots have been generously donated for the event with all proceeds going to support the Cornwall Air Ambulance.

A feast of quality goods and servies will be sold to the highest bidder, alongside several lots that money can't buy.

A day on the gallops with leading racehorse trainer Andrew Balding and a personal 'walk and talk' tour of the Jackson Foundation Gallery with artist Kurt Jackson will be two special lots on offer.

Others include a luxury beach-front villa holiday in Barbados, flights to the Isles of Scilly, pheasant shooting days and a champagne tea tour at Highgrove, home of HRH Prince Charles.

Jonathan McCulloch from Truro, who is organising the event, said: "In a county such as Cornwall the air ambulance is a proven life-saver.

"So many of us who work and live in its rural communities, particularly those involved in agriculture and equestrianism, are so reliant on this service should serious ill-health or injury strike.”

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly was the first area in the UK to be served by its own air ambulance, after the charity was established in 1987.

Since then they have flown over 26,000 missions.

160 guests will attend the auction night, which is already fully booked, at Scorrier House this Sunday.

Advance bids are still available, and anyone who may wish to contribute can do so by visiting www.cornwallairambulancetrust.org/get-involved/events