A new public access lifesaving device has been installed at Ottery St Mary Cricket Club.

The automated electronic defibrillator (AED) – used to revive someone from a sudden cardiac arrest – has been installed at the clubhouse through Devon-based charity Jay’s Aim.

The charity funds most of the cost to provide defibrillators at sports facilities where young sportspersons may suffer sudden cardiac arrest, but the machines are also made available for use by the local community.

Barry Flicker, committee member of Ottery St Mary Cricket Club said: "We have recently been successful in obtaining, through a local charity, a public access defibrillator, which has now been installed at our clubhouse. The machine will be available for use by anyone in the local community.”

The Ottery St Mary Cricket Club committee is hoping an opening ceremony can be arranged with dignitaries and representatives of the community attending including the mayor Cllr Vicky Johns, members of the club, and of the Rotary club.

AEDs are used to revive someone from sudden cardiac arrest. This is when a disruption in the heart's electrical activity causes a dangerously fast heartbeat or a fast and irregular heartbeat. If you're having one of these irregular heart rhythms, your heart doesn't pump effectively and may even stop.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after cardiac arrest can keep blood flowing to your heart and brain for a time. But often only defibrillation can restore the heart's normal rhythm. Together these treatments can improve your chances of survival.

Jay, who the charity Jay’s Aim is named after, died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 28. After his death, his family learnt he had an undiagnosed inherited heart condition, and that this had caused a fatal cardiac arrest. In 2018 Jay's family set up the charity with Jay's aim to prevent the same thing from happening to other families in the South West.

Jay's aim helps to prevent young people from dying from undiagnosed heart conditions in the South West as well as provide free CPR and defibrillator training. Jay’s Aim has provided public access to defibrillators (PADs) in more than 50 locations throughout South-West England.