A MAN who started a fundraising drive to buy a defibrillator for his local pub has almost hit his target.

John Holmes, a barman at the Prince of Wales in Warndon, featured in your Worcester News in July after he saved the life of June Wallis, after she collapsed at the pub while celebrating a friend's birthday.

Mr Holmes, a trained first responder with the British Red Cross, jumped in to action, performing CPR until paramedics arrived to take Mrs Wallis to hospital.

Since then he has been fundraising to buy a defibrillator for the pub, and last week was presented with a cheque for £300 by the Worcester Branch of the Oddfellows.

He said: "I've been trying to raise more than £1,000 in the pub and locals have been very generous — including one man who gave £100. But this boost from the Oddfellows has helped me hugely and I'm nearly there. I have enough now for the defibrillator, I just have to raise another £240 to buy the box it goes in and a few other little things, but we're nearly there. It will make me feel better knowing there is one close to hand should anything like what happened to June ever happen again in the pub."

Sandra Loynes, Oddfellows provincial correspondent secretary, said they were happy to help.

"We came across John's story in the Worcester News and thought his was a cause worth backing," she said.

"The presentation on August 24 went really well. We gathered at the pub and had a game of skittles and a quiz, then John told us all about what happened that day and all about his training. He was over the moon. We are just pleased we could help him in some way."

The Oddfellows group has branches all around the UK and is open to everyone. Founded more than 200 years ago, the group raises money for good causes on a regular basis.