AN old disused phone box in Tywyn has got a new lease of life - and it could help save lives.

A defibrillator has been fitted in the box in the Happy Valley area of the town.

It has been installed thanks to the work of the town council and First Responders.

Tywyn town councillor Cathy Evans brought the idea for a defibrillator to the town council.

She said: “One of the farmers who lived nearby said that the phone box was decommissioned. I thought it would be a good place to put a defibrillator.

“I put a motion to the council and was able to get some funding for it. The nearest defibrillator to the area was 20 minutes away. There was also a donation from Richard Vaughan and his family.”

Cllr Gareth Mason is also a first responder.

He said: “The nearest public access defibrillator sites to Happy Valley were Cwrt and the middle of Tywyn.

“Any new defibs in our communities are great, but to get one out in an area that is so secluded and far from existing sites is fantastic.

“We have Cllr Cathy Evans to thank for bringing her idea to Tywyn Town Council and it was a pleasure to have worked with her, Francesca Pridding and Tomos Hughes to complete the project.

“As a First Responder, I’ve seen firsthand how early use of a defib and CPR improves a patient’s chance of survival, hence my passion for public access to defibrillators.”