Lowestoft seafront defibrillator blocked by shed

The shed was placed in front of the defibrillator on Thursday

A decision to place a shed in front of a piece of life-saving equipment has been described as "stupid".

Access to a community-funded defibrillator on the seafront in Lowestoft, Suffolk, was restricted when the shed was built by contractors.

Jayne Biggs, from Heart 2 Heart Norfolk which installed the kit, said no-one could get to the device as a result.

Sentinel Leisure Trust, which maintains the defibrillator, insisted it was accessible but said it would be moved.

The shed was placed on the seafront on Thursday to house two new community wheelchairs for disabled people wanting to use the beach.

A Facebook post showing the shed in front of the defibrillator, which is used to administer electric shocks to cardiac arrest patients, has been shared more than 1,300 times.

One user said "this needs to get noticed", with another writing "common sense has just left Lowestoft last seen on the A146 heading towards Norwich".

Chris Ames, director of Sentinel Leisure Trust, admitted photographs "didn't look great"

Charity Heart 2 Heart Norfolk was established in 2016 and raises money to place defibrillators in schools, clubs and public places across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Mrs Biggs called the decision "stupid" and said the shed was erected on Thursday adding that "you couldn't even squeeze behind the back of the shed and open it [the defibrillator].

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Chris Ames, director of Sentinel Leisure Trust, admitted that photographs "didn't look great" but said that while the visibility of the equipment was "somewhat hindered" it was still usable.

The leisure trust said an electrician had moved to defibrillator to the left of its previous location following an "outcry", but said the shed remained.

However, Mrs Biggs said it was still problematic as the location of the kit was supposed to be "idiot proof" and would not be visible from all angles on the seafront as it was before.