CAR dealerships in Queensferry and Wrexham have both installed defibrillators at their sites this week.

The two Lindop Toyota centres have made the lifesaving equipment available to the community in case of emergency – in conjunction with the Welsh Ambulance Service.

Premier Toyota at Llandudno Junction has also installed a defibrillator at its premises.

The group have registered the devices on ‘The Circuit’, a national database for Public Access Defibrillators (PADS) that allows the nearest resource to be found quickly, in the event of cardiac arrest.

Anyone who needs to access one of the defibrillators in an emergency calls 999 and the operator will give them a key code to open the box.

The defibrillator can be used by anybody and gives the operator verbal instructions on how to use it.

Managing director Glyn Davies said: "We are proud to have invested in these devices, to help the local community.

"Whilst I hope that they never have to be used, it is reassuring to know that they are available, in case of an emergency.”

Tomos Hughes, the Public Access Defibrillator Officer for the Welsh Ambulance Service, added: “We are thrilled that Toyota have made the move to install life-saving defibrillators at three of their showroom sites in North Wales.

“Having them registered on The Circuit national database, will ensure that they are quickly traceable and I have no doubt they will make an impact, when medical emergencies arise in the community.”

There are over 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year and a person’s chance of surviving, will decrease by 10% every minute, without good quality CPR and early defibrillation, so easy access is vital.