VISITORS to Bewdley's popular safari park can feel in safe hands after staff were given training on new lifesaving equipment.

West Midlands Safari Park has received a portable defibrillator, which can be used to treat people who suffer cardiac arrest. West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust trained staff who would be first on the scene in an emergency.

Wendy Jackson, the park's press officer, said: "We are very happy to be involved with the ambulance service and are pleased to have had the lifesaving training. The training has been thorough and the equipment is surprisingly straightforward to use.

"The additional training can be of benefit to our visitors. It is nice to know our staff can make a difference if a situation arises in the future."

The ambulance service was awarded 79 defibrillators as part of a national programme. The equipment has been funded via the Big Lottery fund through the British Heart Foundation and the Department of Health as part of a £6 million programme, which will see nearly 2,300 defibrillators placed in public places across England.

The trust has also set up community first responder schemes across Worcestershire and Herefordshire, made up of trained volunteers who can treat heart attack patients.

Ambulance service community defibrillation officer, Mike Belcher, said: "When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, their chances of survival drop by up to 10 per cent for every minute that passes. The quicker you can get treatment, the better your chances of survival and the better quality of life you will have afterwards."