A LIFE saving defibrillator is to be installed at Pitchcroft it has been announced.

In May, Worcester Pitchcroft Parkrun, which organises free, weekly, 5k runs at the site, began fundraising for the defibrillator.

Worcester City Council originally donated £1,520 towards the cost of the equipment and installation, but campaigners were still short by £580.

Fundraisers were “blown away” with the response when they managed to raise the remaining cash through donations from generous supporters in just 36 hours.

Announcing the news on the Worcester Pitchcroft Parkrun Facebook page, the message read: “Owing to your kind donations, we have officially ordered a public access defibrillator.

“It will be a great addition to Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun and the wider community.”

Research suggests that the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest decreases by about 10 per cent for every minute’s delay between when a person collapses with a cardiac arrest, and when they receive an electric shock from a defibrillator. If a defibrillator gets to someone within eight minutes it improves their chances of survival by a massive 75 per cent.

Sam Payne, Pitchcroft Parkrun event director, said: “We have now ordered the defib through a company called Place Partnership. It will be mounted on the wall of the Pitchcroft Pavilion, changing rooms.

“We have also received kind offers from the NHS offering free of charge training for our volunteers and runners.

“We aim to get this organised over the next month or so.

“The defib will be useful and available to the football team, rowers, general public, horse racing event goers - anybody using the park.

“In truth we predicted that raising the £600 would take many weeks.

“However after one social media post and one event we were inundated with immensely kind donations.”

Councillor Jo Hodges, of the city council’s small grants panel, said: “The city council was delighted to support this great initiative to provide a defibrillator. Our small grants scheme supports qualifying community and volunteer groups across Worcester."

"To find out more, go to worcester.gov.uk/small-community-grants.”

The parkrun was set up last year and attracts hundreds, who run the free 5k run every Saturday at 9am.