FOURTEEN council-owned community centres will be fitted with life-saving defibrillators – at a cost of around £16,000.

Warrington Borough Council's neighbourhoods team, in partnership with North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), has secured defibrillators for the sites across the borough.

A defibrillator is a device which can be used in an emergency situation to help people who are having a sudden cardiac arrest.

It checks the heart rhythm and sends a shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm.

Two council-owned community centres are already fitted with the devices, with the remaining 14 due to be fitted with them thanks to the scheme.

Cllr Tony Higgins, executive board member for leisure and community, said: "I'm overjoyed that, finally, all of our community centres will have a defibrillator.

"Ever since becoming a councillor, I've actively campaigned for these vital pieces of life-saving equipment in all of our public places.

"I never want a situation where not having defibrillator could potentially cost a life.

"Making our community centres dementia-friendly and now equipped with a defibrillator is the way forward in ensuring all users of our community centres feel more safe and secure.

"I also want to thank NWAS for their kind generosity in donating the wall cabinets and training free of charge.

"This is a fantastic partnership and without such collaboration it would have been very difficult to deliver.

"I know that our community centres are in a far better position than ever before."