Lives could be saved thanks to two new defibrillators installed around Attleborough.

One of the public-access machines can now be found at Lee and Plumpton furniture supplier in Bunn's Bank, south of the town, and the other is at the Methodist Chapel on Church Street in nearby Great Ellingham.

Tim Betts, chairman of Great Ellingham Parish Council, said the town's ChitChat Group raised £450 towards the cost of their machine, and another £450 came from the council itself, and this included a grant from the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Mr Betts said: 'We are delighted to have raised enough money to help fund this lifesaving package.

'The defibrillator has been placed on the wall of the Methodist Chapel, which is in the centre of the village, meaning that local people have the best chance of survival should they suffer a cardiac arrest.

'We are grateful to the leaders of the chapel for allowing us to use their wall.

'We're keen to get as many people as possible trained in CPR too.'

The parish council also received a 'Call Push Rescue' training kit following their successful application for a 'Nation of Lifesavers' community package from the charity.

The defibrillator at Lee and Plumpton is on the wall of the front office, and is accessible directly from Bunn's Bank.

This machine was paid for by the company itself, following a suggestion from a staff member, assembly supervisor Steve Sadle. It cost about £1,600.

Mr Sadler, a former community first responder, said: 'I used one when I was a first responder once. It talks you through what you have to do until the ambulance arrives. They do save people.'

Ken Seaman, human resources director, said: 'It's important that people around the area know that it's there and it's available for public use.'

Defibrillators can be used to give a chance of survival to people undergoing a cardiac arrest.

This is when the heart stops pumping blood around the body and they lose consciousness almost at once.

More than 30,000 cardiac arrests happen out of hospital in the UK every year, but currently less than one in 10 people survive them.

Sara Askew, head of survival at the BHF, said: 'More lives could be saved if more defibrillators were available in public places. To find out more, visit bhf.org.uk/lifesavers