THANKS to a huge community effort and local businesses clubbing together, a village near Malmesbury now has a fully-operational defibrillator.

Brinkworth Parish Council, landlady at the Three Crowns pub Clare Butcher and Richard Crapper, of Crapper and Sons Landfill Ltd, came together to source, fund and install the lifesaving equipment which can be used by the public in an emergency.

The village already has two defibrillators at Woodbridge Park Golf Club and Earl Danby’s CE Primary School, but these aren’t readily available for the public.

The new defibrillator, which has been installed on the front wall of the Three Crowns pub in The Street, is for use of the wider village.

It is a lifesaving piece of equipment which can be used on someone in cardiac arrest.

Chairman of Brinkworth Parish Council, Arnold Bradley-Donald, has cited the strong community spirit as the reason it was all possible.

He said: “It is bringing the community together and getting something positive.

“The biggest community story here is the parish council, the pub, and Richard Crapper coming together and getting something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

“People like to think they have an opportunity to save someone’s life.

“You see them all over the place and there is a general awareness with the public that it is such an easy thing to use.

“It is for the lay person to use to save someone’s life and that is why we have followed the trend. We thought it was a valuable asset for the village.

“It has had a positive reception. People have asked if we should have training for it, but you don’t need to.

“It has generated interest in perhaps running some first response training and first aid classes.

“The council is looking to see if there is enough interest in the village, but it is something that is bringing the community together.”