A Bermuda bid to get an air-sea rescue service could get off the ground with UK help, a British Foreign Office spokesman said yesterday.

And the spokesman added Britain would also consider Bermudian requests for assistance in developing a blue water sea-going capability as the other arm of a rescue and drugs-busting drive.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed: "If and when a formal request was made to us, it would be given due consideration.'' The FCO man was speaking after Labour and Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness revealed last week that Bermuda would have to acquire bigger, armed vessels and a helicopter suitable for search-and-rescue and drug interdiction.

He said the new long arm of the law was needed partly because of international obligations through the UK to police the Island's 200 mile limit.

And Mr. Edness added a Ministry of Defence expert was soon to visit the Island to draw up a game-plan to beef up Bermuda's air-sea power.

The Bermuda Regiment has already signalled it is willing to win its wings and operate a helicopter -- as well as sign up for joint operations with the Bermuda Marine Police. The Police have yet to respond on how they might view the extra responsibilities.

The Foreign Office spokesman added: "If it's cast in the light it seems to be, it would be talking about international obligations -- quite clearly we would look at it with that in mind.'' But he said: "It's highly contingent on what the Bermuda Government actually asks us for -- it appears that thinking is crystallising in Bermuda.

But he added it would be "premature'' for the UK Government to say any more in advance of concrete proposals from the Island Government.

The spokesman said: "If a need was identified in Bermuda, it would be the Government of Bermuda's responsibility, I assume, to weigh the opportunities available.

"If they were to judge it was beyond their means and look to Her Majesty's Government, we would look at it at that point.'' Last night Mr. Edness said the UK's initial response to the gaps in the Island's maritime capability was encouraging.

He added that the first step was to get the MoD man to advise on Regiment/Police operations.

Mr. Edness said: "Having done that, we will move on to talk to him about equipment and so forth.

"It's an idea which seems to be clicking in -- if we're serious about drugs, which are dumped in the ocean and picked up, we need to be there first.

"We also have a serious responsibility for rescue. We're not going to be able to completely finance this overnight -- but if we could get the assistance of the UK Government it would be feasible.''