EXCELLENT customer service took on a new meaning when a helicopter took to the skies to guarantee a family a hot meal.

The lanes across Bodmin Moor were again a no-go area for vehicles when treacherous black ice prevented engineer Steve Davis getting to work at Moorgoods, St Breward to collect a cooker part for a customer.

But help was on hand from boss Kevin Foster, a qualified helicopter instructor, who took off and delivered the part to Steve who was waiting with his motorcycle at Cardinham airfield.

Kevin said: "The black ice made travelling lethal and it looked as if the customer wouldn't get the vital spare part for his cooker as Steve couldn't get to our offices to collect it to enable him to fit it at the home of the customer.

"But the Moorgoods helicopter could fly. In fact, I was about to carry out a training sortie for a student at Bodmin Airfield, close to where Steve lives.

"So, six minutes later, the part was with Steve who then went out to the customer, made a successful repair and enabled him to have a hot meal again."