AN ISLE of Wight cricket club has received a new defibrillator courtesy of a local business.

Arreton Cricket Club was presented with the electronic device by Sandown based ICRTouch.

Around 40,000 lives a year in the UK are estimated to be saved each year by the machines, and a discussion about raising funds to acquire one for the club and wider community began during the 2019 season.

With a public footpath and cycle path running adjacent to the club entrance, members felt it was a necessity to have access to an on-site machine as soon as possible.

Adam Priest, club treasurer and employee of ICRTouch, said: "As an active member of Arreton Cricket Club, I mentioned the defibrillator cause to Colin Ringer, the owner of ICRTouch, and a resident of Arreton. He very generously donated to our fundraising campaign.

"At ICRTouch we understand how important a publicly accessible defibrillator can be to the local community, as these devices can significantly improve survival rates.

"I have recently been on a first aid training course which involved the use of a defibrillator."

The club is now raising the extra funds required for an outdoor, heated storage box, to house the defibrillator in a more convenient location.

People interested in donating can email Adam at adam.priest@hotmail.co.uk