HEART attack victims will have a much better chance of survival in two York communities after defibrillators were installed by parish councillors.

The community access defibrillators have been attached to external walls at Sheriff Hutton Methodist Church in West End, Sheriff Hutton, and Clifton Explore Library in Rawcliffe Lane, York.

About 100,000 people are said to suffer a cardiac arrest every year in the UK, with a 95 per cent mortality rate due to lack of response time, making it the country’s biggest killer.

According to research from the British Heart Foundation, after an attack, every minute without CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation- and defibrillation reduces someone’s chance of survival by 10 per cent.

Louise Pink, clerk to Sheriff Hutton Parish Council, said a defibrillator, including a cabinet, cost about £1,500, but the British Heart Foundation had part-funded it in Sheriff Hutton’s case.

She said the move to install the defibrillator was driven by parish councillor Martin Dodd, who was a paramedic.

She said Clifton Without Parish Council, of which she was also clerk, had fully funded the equipment at the library.

The council had also paid for a familiarisation session carried out by community defibrillation trainer Kiri Frampton, from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

“This session was held on January 28 in the library and was attended by library staff, 14 members of the public and five members of the parish council,” she said.

“Feedback from the session was very positive and residents were very pleased to have received training on this life saving piece of equipment - although they never hope to actually have to use it!”

She added that the council wanted to fund another defibrillator within what was a large parish, and it was looking for offers of a suitable external site with public access available, where it could be installed.