A series of invitation-only meetings held by the Wales Air Ambulance about the potential closure of the Welshpool base have been cancelled

The meetings had been heavily criticised by local politicians and campaigners and led to calls for a full public consultation.

MS for Montgomeryshire Russell George said the meetings created an “element of confusion about the engagement process, and the timing of this exercise is questionable”.

Now the charity has decided to cancel the meetings and “concerns, expressed to the charity by some registered attendees, about comments made online indicating potential disruption and protests in relation to the EMRTS Service Development Proposal”.

In a statement sent out by the charity they said the gatherings “were meant to be supporter-focused charity events to talk about its wider strategy, which included aspects such as youth engagement, income generation, its people, and its retail operation”.

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“It would also have presented the charity with an opportunity to listen to comments regarding the EMRTS service development proposal with the aim of informing its own response to the commissioner’s process," the statement added.

"Gatherings were scheduled for mid and North Wales before Christmas and events in South Wales would have been scheduled in the New Year.”

Mr George had also criticised the charity in the Senedd for these sessions for being “by invitation only and should not be forwarded to other people to attend”.

The charity however has claimed: “The invite was sent to supporters who are registered on the charity’s database and who have given permission to contact them (a legal requirement under the GDPR).

“Recipients of the invite were politely asked not to share the invite as the charity needed to ensure that it did not blur the boundaries between charitable activities and the commissioner’s engagement process.

“It is with great sadness that the charity has now taken the decision to postpone these events until next year. This is due to the confusion with the commissioner’s process.”