The Hollywood actor was shooting scenes on a Boeing 747 at Dunsfold Park for a feature film called 360, which also stars Jude Law and Rachel Weisz.

The Academy Award® winner kindly broke off from filming to meet the specialist doctors and Critical Care Paramedics who fly on the helicopter.  During his visit he posed for photographs and signed autographs, including Surrey Air Ambulance postcards which will be auctioned off at the charity's Air Aid Ball at Redhill Aerodrome on June 25.

Sir Hopkins was told about the advanced medical procedures the medical team can carry out at the scene of an accident or emergency said: "I was taken to hospital in an ambulance years ago although I didn't have a serious injury.  I appreciated all the help I had and these people who work in this profession deserve Oscars®. It's terrific to meet the Surrey Air Ambulance crew." 

Hopkins prolific career includes films such as The Silence of the Lambs and The Remains of The Day.  360 is also being filmed in London, Paris, Vienna and Brazil, and is a multi-stranded and interlinked tale of love and obsession, directed by Fernando Meirelles from a screenplay by writer Peter Morgan, produced by Andrew Eaton, David Linde, Chris Hanley, Danny Krausz, Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier.

It costs £1.7m-a-year to keep the helicopter flying and the service relies almost entirely on voluntary donations.  If you would like to make a donation to the Air Ambulance please call 01622 833833. Alternatively cheques can be made payable to Surrey Air Ambulance and posted to Wheelbarrow Park Estate, Pattenden Lane, Marden, Kent, TN12 9QJ