SCHOOLCHILDREN and residents at a housing scheme got together with a councillor and a businessman to mark the installation of a new defibrillator in their community.

Children from Adderlane Academy in Prudhoe stood alongside residents at the Manors Extra Care scheme, local businessman Miv Chahal and county councillor Gordon Stewart to show off West Wylam’s new piece of life-saving equipment.

Mr Chahal and Coun. Stewart jointly funded the cost of purchasing the defibrillator, which has been placed outside the Manors, run by Karbon Homes and which provides residential housing for older people.

The installation of the equipment came about through close co-operation between those involved, including consultation with the residents of the Manors Extra Care scheme about the siting of the defibrillator at a secure location on the wall of the building where they live.

Mr Chahal, who runs the Nisa convenience store, said: “The installation of the defibrillator at the Manors shows what a great community spirit we have in West Wylam.

“There have been several people and organisations involved in providing this life-saving piece of equipment to the community.

“We would like to thank those who shop in our store as their custom provides us with the opportunity to donate to local causes and it’s a real pleasure to be able to give something back to the people of West Wylam.”

Coun. Stewart said: “‘This is a fantastic example of how a community can work closely together on such an important issue.”

Mark Pae, scheme manager for the Manors, said: “It has been a real community effort to get this defibrillator installed, to make sure everybody locally could benefit, and that it was installed correctly.”