Shire Hall defib is accessible to all at all times of the day

Members of Rotary Club of Warwick have raised funds to buy a Public Access Defibrillator which was unveiled by club president Roy Joyner and town mayor Cllr Elizabeth Higgins at the entrance to Shire Hall in Market Square on Friday.

Anybody can use the device, which requires a 999 call to gain the access code, and once activated the defibrillator guides the user though the stages of helping someone who has suffered a heart attack or cardiac arrest.

Mr Joyner said: “Rotary events and collections raise money which we want to put back into the local community, what better way than to try to prevent an untimely death.

“Market square is a busy place and many events are held here, hopefully everyone will soon know the defibrillator is here, right by the main door to the Post Office.”

The club is working with Adrian Lewis, the founder of Defibfinder, to have more defibrillators installed in the town and the wider community.

Mr Lewis praised rotarian Jackie Crompton for being “instrumental” in having the device installed at the Grade I listed building.

A defibrillator re-starts a heart after a heart attack if someone can be treated with a device and good CPR within eight minutes their chances of survival can be increased to 50 per cent.

About 164,000 people have a heart attack each year and the importance of defibrillators was highlighted recently when footballer Fabrice Muamba received life-saving first aid.

The bright green defibrillator cabinet has been developed by Defibfinder and has its own light and micro climate with a heater and refrigeration unit - keeping the device at its optimum temperature.

Mr Lewis said: “Warwick town centre is now a safer place to work, live and visit.”

For more information call 778504 or visit www.defibfinder.org