Four new automatic electronic defibrillators (AEDs) will be installed in Breckland after the district council approved two grant funding bids totalling just over £2,700.

Breckland Council has agreed to contribute £1,921 to an Iceni Partnership project which will see three AEDs put in place in Swaffham – at the Community Centre, Assembly Rooms, and the Community Allotment & Orchard Project.

In addition, Breckland will provide £807.50 towards the installation of an AED on the front of Caston Village Hall, after receiving a funding bid from the parish council. The funding will meet around half of the total cost of each of the projects.

Lynda Turner, Breckland Council executive member for place, said: 'I'm delighted that we are able to help fund these projects which will make available potentially life-saving equipment.'

Don Saunders, manager at the Iceni Partnership, a charity based in Swaffham, said: 'We're very pleased to secure this funding which will enable us to go ahead with our plans to install three AEDs in the town.

'We've also received contributions from a number of other local bodies and we're very grateful for all the support we've received.'

Swaffham ward members Paul Darby, Shirley Matthews, and Ian Sherwood added: 'We're very proud of the way the community has come together to support this project.

'The generosity shows how worthwhile the people of Swaffham believe these AEDs will be and we're pleased they will soon be put in place.'

Caston Parish Council submitted its bid for funding after meeting with members of the community last year. Residents watched a demonstration of how the automatic electronic defibrillator could be used and discussed the benefits of having the resource in the village before agreeing to submit a funding bid.

Jo Blackman, Caston Parish Council clerk, said: 'The provision of a defibrillator locally will improve the chance of someone making a recovery if they were to suffer a cardiac arrest.

'This is felt to be particularly important given Caston's rural location and it will also complement the work of Wayland First Response team.'

Phil Cowen and Bill Smith, All Saints & Wayland Ward Members, added: 'This application had our full support and we're very pleased that this important equipment will soon be available in the village.'