Six bleed kits to be installed around town centre

Bleed kits could save the lives of stabbing victims or anyone suffering severe blood loss

Bleed kits are to be installed in six locations around Guildford, Surrey.

The kits contain first aid equipment, such as tourniquets and gauze, which could save the life of a stabbing victim.

The town's pubs have come together to raise funds to buy the kits.

It follows a similar project which has seen kits installed in locations across Sussex, including Hastings and Crawley.

Jane Lyons, chair of Guildford Pubwatch, said: "The kits are there for any catastrophic bleed, so it's not just about stabbing.

"If there's any possibility that it saves a life, that's the end result that everybody wants."

The project was inspired by the death of teenager Charlie Cosser from Milford, who died after being stabbed at a party in Warnham, West Sussex in July 2023.

His father Martin founded the charity Charlie's Promise, which raises awareness of knife crime.

Mr Cossser said: "A person can bleed out and die in three to five minutes.

"Around 40% of people suffering external catastrophic blood loss will die, so what Guildford Pubwatch is doing is incredible."

Martin Cosser campaigns for blood kits to be installed in public places

Kits have already been installed around Sussex, including at Hastings and Crawley, thanks to the group Project Youth.

Founder Carl Scott said initially it was "frowned upon by quite a lot of people" who "wanted to step away from the fact the risks were out there".

"When I managed to get the bleed kit up in Hastings" he said, "that raised the profile massively, where everybody started to get involved.

"We've partnered with Sussex Police and Sussex Probation, and we've managed to install 18 across Sussex and four within the London area."

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