'Vital' defibrillator installed at sports ground

The device at Park Road will be available for anyone to use

A defibrillator has been installed at a sports ground in Loughborough.

Charnwood Borough Council has worked in partnership with the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust to install the device at Park Road.

The trust has worked with members of Loughborough Town Cricket Club to train 18 volunteers how to use the defibrillator.

Anne Gray, the council's lead member for open spaces, said the installation was "vital" at a ground that attracted thousands of visitors each year.

The defibrillator is accessible to anyone, including visitors, staff and volunteers in the event of a cardiac emergency.

The council funded and installed the defibrillator with the storage cabinet being provided by the trust.

The trust's chair, Steve Humphries, said: "A sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, any age and without any warning. Whether that is at home, at work, at leisure or playing sport.

"Every minute without prompt CPR and access to an AED, the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent.

"That's why it's so vitally important to have this lifesaving equipment readily available 24/7 across all communities and for a bystander to act immediately and without hesitation before the emergency services arrive."

The trust was set up after the death of Rothley teenager Joe Humphries in 2012, who died from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) while out on a run.

The device is the third to be installed in the Loughborough area by the council and the trust since 2022.

Alison Etty, from Loughborough Cricket Club, said the club was "delighted" with the new defibrillator.