A LIFE-SAVING defibrillator unit that can revive heart attack victims has been installed in Stourbridge’s Ryemarket shopping centre thanks to the generosity of Kingswinford and Stourbridge Lions.

The charitable group bought the device, which is secured to a pillar close to Home Bargains and Costa Coffee, and are also funding training for 12 people to use it in the event of a cardiac emergency in the centre - at a cost of £1,600.

The new equipment, which has been bought through St John Ambulance who will provide the training, was installed in the shopping centre on Valentine’s Day (February 14).

Ryemarket staff, including centre manager Kelley Dyas and a number of workers at Costa Coffee, Hallmark, Waitrose and the Carphone Warehouse, are all being trained up to use the equipment – so it is hoped there will always be someone on duty able to use the defibrillator which delivers an electric shock to the heart when someone suffers a cardiac arrest.

Mrs Dyas said: “I approached the Lions last year to discuss the possibility of working together on securing the funding and they agreed that it would be a worthwhile cause that would benefit the Stourbridge community.

“We are in a central position in the town so we would like as many people as possible to know of the equipment's whereabouts in the centre in case of any emergency.”

Police are also trained in the use of the device – which can mean the difference between life and death as the British Heart Foundation estimates survival chances for cardiac arrest victims reduce by ten per cent for every minute without CPR and defibrillation.

Calls had been made for a defibrillator to be installed in the Ryemarket since 2011 when shop staff were rocked by the sudden death of a young girl who suffered a cardiac arrest in the Card Factory.

Police and bystanders carried out CPR on the youngster at the scene and she was rushed to Russells Hall Hospital but could not be revived.