A brother and sister who run the Botanic Garden Cafe in Southport are organising a charity walk to raise funds to buy a defibrillator for the botanic gardens after a man suffered a cardiac arrest and died recently.

Stephen and Gail Settle tried to revive him, and at the time were looking for a defibrillator, they told the Southport Visitor.

Gail explained that they were informed there was a defibrillator at the bowling green within the botanic gardens, but that because it was winter the site was locked up and the life-saving equipment was therefore inaccessible.

“It was upsetting to think that there’s things out there but no access to them and it may have saved his life,” Gail told the news provider.

Following this tragic event, she is now organising a charity walk to raise funds to fit a new defibrillator that will be accessible all year round. The walk is planned for 29 April and the local council have said they will contribute some money towards the project.

Earlier this month, we highlighted the importance of having defibrillators available to deal with incidents of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

CPR won’t revive someone who suffers an SCA – the only option is to deliver a shock using a defibrillator to restore the heart’s natural rhythm. And the chances of survival fall by ten per cent for every minute that passes without a shock being administered.

Given the prevalence of Sudden Cardiac Arrest fatalities in the UK annually, it’s clear to see the importance of having accessible emergency defibrillators located in public areas.