A LIFE-saving device has been installed in the heart of a village near Christchurch.

Bransgore village centre now has a defibrillator at the Co-op food store, which will allow ambulance service call handlers to direct people to it in an emergency.

It was paid for by the parish council and the Co-operative agreed that it could be placed on the outside wall of its Bransgore food store.

Stephen Cartwright, community defibrillation officer from South Central Ambulance Service, community first responder Samantha Parris and Nick Evetts, manager of The Co-operative were present when chairman of the Parish Council, Richard Frampton, formerly handed over the unit for the benefit of residents and visitors to Bransgore.

Richard said: “The parish council is very pleased to be involved in this initiative to provide this device and to work in partnership with Bransgore Community First Responders and the Co-operative Food Store.

“I am particularly pleased that Bransgore will see the benefit of this life saving equipment and that this partnership has had such a positive outcome.”

Samantha Parris of the Bransgore Community First Responders said: “These devices can help save lives in the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest and before an ambulance or community first responder can arrive.

“They need no special training. You can’t put a price on saving a life.”

The community first responders will check and maintain the unit regularly and the ambulance service 999 call handler will direct callers to the defibrillator and provide them with the security code to open the box.

They will then stay on the line to help them use the device and direct them how to conduct hands-only CPR while the ambulance and community first responders are still on the way.