MALMESBURY League of Friends has paid for 20 life-saving defibrillators and is expecting to offer even more in the future.

One of the latest has been installed at Cowbridge Mill just outside the town.

chairman David Hide said: “We are delighted to have paid for a defibrillator for Cowbridge Mill residents.

"Automatic external defibrillators have been described as the single most important development in the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest.

"Designed for use by untrained lay persons, they have improved the outcomes of literally thousands of people who have suffered from cardiac arrests."

Ernest Buchner, A Cowbridge Mill Management Company director, Ernest Buchner, said: “ We are very grateful to MLOF for this life-saving facility, which will be available for use by all the residents in Cowbridge Mill.”

The league, which started as a fundraising group to provide medical equipment for the town's hospital in the 1920s and later on for local GPs and care homes, changed its name and focus after the hospital was closed and demolished.

So far 20 parish councils have received funding from the league to install defibrillators and others are still considering its offer of £1,500 each towards installation.

The machine is at 39-51, Sir Bernard Lovell Road, on the corner of Lipman Way, cabinet number CHT 10570, and post code SN16 9FN.

These would be needed if anyone called 999, to receive the code to gain access to the defibrillator.

20 local parish councils have received funding from MLOF to install defibrillators in their villages. Many local parishes already have them, and others are still considering the offer from MLOF of £1,500 each towards their installation.