VILLAGERS near Aberystwyth have said they will do whatever it takes to make sure they have a well-maintained defibrillator.

Residents of Cnwch Coch have organised a summer fete this month to raise money for insurance, replacement pads and batteries for the defibrillator, and a group of them have received training on how to use the life-saving equipment.

“As a community we were aware that the nearest defibrillator is too far from Cnwch to be of use if someone stopped breathing or had an irregular heartbeat,” community member Barbara Jones explained.

“We applied to the British Heart Foundation for an AED (automated external defibrillator) and were successful so we then had to find £1,200 to pay our share to them and also to buy a case for it to be held in.

"The residents have donated what they could afford and we have had donations from the local Fire in the Mountain festival - very generous, the local Cymdeithas association and the community council.

"With the help of the community council the disused phone kiosk has been adopted to house the AED and after a group clean up session and the generous work of an electrician who didn’t charge us we installed it.”

On Saturday, 16 June, a group of locals received training from Gerard Rothwell from the British Heart Foundation.

“We are committed to training as many locals to use it as possible and also to maintain it effectively,” said Barbara.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday