EGERTON Primary School pupils have received lifesaving training following the installation of a defibrillator.

The defibrillator training, which was conducted by North West Ambulance Service, comes after the school acquired the equipment as part of a national campaign from cardiac charity Sudden Arrhythmic Death Sydrome (SADS) UK.

The children are now trained to use the lifesaving equipment, which works to restore the heart rhythm if a person goes into cardiac arrest.

Debbi Brown, school business manager, said: “Our PTA paid for the equipment. We wanted one that had the paediatric pads for children under the age of eight.

“I wanted to get everybody involved in it. A lot of companies offer the training, which we believe the children need.

“So SADS organised it all for us, they were very good.”

SADS Big Shock Campaign aims to make defibrillators available in all schools and has the support of the ambulance services and most recently Dame Helen Mirren who heads the charity’s defibrillator leaflet, urging for defibrillators to be in place in all schools to save lives.

Anne Jolly, Founder of SADS UK, the Ashley Jolly SAD Trust, said: “SADS UK is pleased that Egerton Primary School will benefit from having a defibrillator on the premises to restart the heart if there is a cardiac arrest on the premises.

“Last year SADS UK Patron Dr Hilary Jones (Good Morning Britain) presented Lifesaver Awards to staff at two senior schools, who had saved the lives of teenage boys using their school defibrillator.

“This year two more teenage boys were saved by teachers at their school; this is why SADS UK is so passionate about putting this lifesaving equipment in schools’