A LIFE-SAVING device has been installed in a Ribble Valley village by the North West Ambulance Service First Responders.

A new defibrillator was presented to the Grindleton Recreation Ground Committ- ee by members of the team, and will be housed in the village’s pavilion.

The presentation was part of the First Responders’ cam- paign to have a defibrillator in every village in the bor-ough for use when someone collapses with a cardiac arr- est.

The team has already inst- alled defibrillators in Slaid-burn, Sawley, and Bolton-by-Bowland, and is set to present them to other vill-ages throughout 2014.

The defibrillator at Grind- leton pavilion is located in the changing rooms, with the organising committee aiming to move it outside once funds have been rais-ed to buy a box to house the equipment.

Committee member Anne Huson said: “The problem, at the moment, is that the defibrillator can only be accessed when the pavilion is in use, and is locked away at other times.

“When we have raised enough money to buy a box for it, then we can move it outside and it can be acc-essed 24 hours a day.

“It’s a great community asset to have, and it’s good to have such an important piece of equipment in the village.”

Grindleton Parish Coun-cil chairman Jeffrey Cowl-ing said: “We would be will- ing to contribute to the cost of the box if we are asked by the organising comm-ittee.

“It’s good to have it in the village, and I hope it will save lives.”

Grindleton Pavilion arch-itect Geoff Marshall said: “The group is needing to raise around £700 to re-house the defibrillator out-side of the pavilion and they are hoping to have the mon-ey raised within the next few months.”

The First Responders are holding a general first aid, and basic resuscitation sess- ion on Wednesday, Febr-uary 26, at 7pm in the pav-ilion.

For more information about the training session, call 01200 440141.