Portland Coastguard search and rescue helicopter is to be scrapped.

Britain's search-and-rescue helicopter service is to become a civilian-only operation, the Government announced today.

The plans also include the end of search-and-rescue operations at Portland in 2017 and at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland in 2015.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had already announced its intention to retire its fleet of Sea King helicopters by March 2016.

Under existing arrangements, search and rescue is provided jointly by the MoD - operating a fleet of Sea King helicopters from eight military bases - with a further four civilian bases operated under contract to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

Today, Transport Secretary Justine Greening said search and rescue would be provided by civilian crews following the Sea Kings' retirement.

She added that she expected to award a contract for the search-and-rescue work in early 2013. The winning bidder would be expected to operate from 10 locations but provide at least the same level of service as at present.

Ms Greening went on: ''The Royal Navy and the RAF crews have shown great dedication and professionalism in delivering an exemplary search and rescue service for many years, and we owe them all great thanks for this.

''Looking forward, we are confident that, building on nearly 30 years of civilian service provided under contract to the MCA, a fully-civilian service will be able to maintain the same standards in the future.''

Shipping Minister Mike Penning said Britain would be getting a new fleet of faster and more modern search-and-rescue helicopters.

Today's announcement follows the Government announcement in February this year that it was halting a £6 billion procurement programme for search-and-rescue helicopters because the preferred bidder had admitted it had access to commercially sensitive information.

Under the privatisation plans, preferred bidder Soteria would have provided US Sikorsky helicopters to fly search-and-rescue missions from 12 bases.

See Tuesday's Echo for full story and reaction