A charity at the heart of a drive to get defibrillators in place at schools nationwide has handed out its latest set of equipment to a St Albans school.

Skyswood Primary has received an automated external defibrillator from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) UK as well as organised training from the East of England Ambulance Service.

The equipment was purchased following fundraising through various events and the total was reached after further donations from KDW Associates and the Rotary Club of St Albans.

The charity’s campaign ‘Big Shock’ is aimed at increasing the number of patients surviving in the aftermath of a cardiac arrest.

Copies of a leaflet detailing the warning signs have also been left with the school to help people who may have underlying heart problems to be identified and treated.

A defibrillator works to restore the heart rhythm if a person goes into cardiac arrest and the earlier it is used the better the chance is of survival.

They can be easily used by those on the scene and also provide voice prompts to the rescuer.