Defibrillator installed at Hopwood Park in Heywood

The Hopwood Park defibrillator

A new defibrillator has been installed in Hopwood Park, Heywood, funded through revenue raised at The Tree House Café, run by The Friends of Hopwood Park.

Provided by UK charity London Hearts, the new life-saving piece of kit has been installed in a secure cabinet at the front entrance to the Tree House Café at Hopwood Park and is covered by a CCTV camera.

Sandra Trickett, of the Friends, said: “Thank you to all our customers who have helped provide this valuable piece of equipment for our community and to London Hearts for supplying it with a donation of £250.”

A defibrillator gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest and it's an essential part in trying to save their life.

To help someone who is in cardiac arrest effectively, a defibrillator needs to be found as quickly as possible. For every minute it takes for the defibrillator to reach someone and deliver a shock, their chances of survival reduce by up to 10%.

Available for public use 24/7, it has been registered with the North West Ambulance Service.

Access to the defibrillator is provided through a code given after dialling 999. The box it is kept in is also maintained at a constant temperature so that the batteries stay charged should it be required.

A loud siren will sound to draw attention to any access to the cabinet.