A FARNWORTH school’s new hall has been fitted out with a life-saving defibrillator.

The Ferns Primary Academy in Plodder Lane now boasts a defibrillator and the school's head has called for the life-saving devices to be made mandatory in schools.

Staff at the school have been trained to use the defibrillator and pupils were told about the device at a special assembly.

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.

Debra Murphy, principal of The Ferns Primary Academy, said: “We fully support the presence of defibrillators in schools across the country and hope this will be legislated, as this saves lives.”

The device was presented to the school by the Oliver King Foundation, a Liverpool organisation set up in memory of 12-year-old Oliver King after he died from a cardiac arrest in March 2011.

Oliver’s father Mark King, who also campaigns for the law to require more public defibrillators and raises awareness of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), presented staff with the equipment.

The presentation took place in the school’s new hall, which opened two weeks ago after a £1.75 million extension, built by construction firm Carefoot, which funded the defibrillator.

Bob Miller, construction manager at Carefoot, said: “Carefoot is proud to be associated with The Oliver King Foundation and its drive for legislation to identify those at risk and assist those in need.

“I sincerely hope this defibrillator is never required to be used.”