A potentially lifesaving defibrillator has been installed at Ipswich's Broomhill Library on Sherrington Road.

The new equipment was unveiled by mayor Lynne Mortimer and local MP Dr Dan Poulter who were joined by local county councillor Inga Lockington at the library's Christmas Fayre last weekend.

Dr Poulter and the Mayor both attended Broomhill Library’s annual Christmas Fayre, and as a practising NHS hospital doctor, the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP said was delighted to have been asked to also unveil the newly installed community defibrillator which was provided with £2,000 of funding from The Broomhill Trust.

Defibrillators are medical devices that can help to save the life of someone experiencing a cardiac arrest in the community.

There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the UK, and sadly, less than one in ten people survive a cardiac arrest outside of hospital.

Dr Poulter said: “We know that every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest. Performing early CPR and having access to a defibrillator gives someone the best chance of survival.

“There simply aren’t enough defibrillators where they are needed most, as research has shown that many communities are too far away from their nearest defibrillator.

"The defibrillator installed at Broomhill Library is easy to use, portable and has step-by-step instructions so that anyone can use it without training. Devices such as these make our local communities safer, as cardiac arrests can happen to anyone, at any time."

Garath Jones, Chair of Friends of Broomhill Library, said: “Dr Dan Poulter has been a longstanding supporter of Broomhill Library and it was great that he could spare the time to formally unveil the new defibrillator.

"It was an honour for our MP to unveil this vital equipment, but it was especially fitting as he is also an NHS hospital doctor and understands the importance of being able to act quickly in the community if someone suffers a cardiac arrest.”