THE Bolton News has become one of 15 businesses across the borough to receive life-saving defibrillators.

The automated external defibrillator (AED) was presented to regional facilities manager Mark Caulfield by paramedic Joanne Thwaites from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).

Members of staff were also given basic training, which included CPR and instructions on how to use the defibrillator in the event of an emergency.

The newspaper office, based in The Wellsprings, is one of the designated buildings in the town to be given the lifesaving device, which delivers an electric pulse through the chest, in an attempt to restore normal heart rhythm.

The other devices are placed in "hot zones" around the town, including The Market Place and Bolton train station.

A patient's chance of survival decreases 10 per cent for every one minute that passes without defibrillation; with the application of an AED within five minutes of collapse, the best possible chance of survival is maintained.

Miss Thwaites said: "If you walk around Bolton now and have a cardiac arrest, you have a good chance of being saved.

"The 15 defibrillators have been strategically placed around Bolton based on where we call hot zones and we have tried to cover each part of the town centre.

"Anybody can work a defibrillator. We have trained security guards, train station staff and people who work in kitchens.

"As a paramedic, there is no better feeling than bringing someone back to life. You can do the same."

In February 2013 The Bolton News teamed up with Bolton West MP Julie Hilling to launch the Every School-Leaver a Lifesaver campaign to teach CPR in Bolton schools, which is aimed at teaching pupils what to do if someone is suffering cardiac arrest, choking or bleeding.

NWAS launched a campaign last month at the House of Commons calling for it to be compulsory to place AEDs in all public places, and is striving to make it compulsory for school leavers to learn crucial life-saving skills such as CPR.

The Trust also encourages organisations to register their defibrillator with the ambulance service through the Cardiac Smart website at cardiacsmart.nwas.nhs.uk and by clicking on the tab "tell us about your defibrillator".

For information regarding public defibrillators, contact David McNally at david.mcnally@nwas.nhs.uk.