PEOPLE in Lancashire are being thanked by the British Heart Foundation after its ‘Fighting for Every Heartbeat’ campaign raised £1.8million in the region.

British Heart Foundation charity shops have turned unwanted bags, boots, and beds into life-saving equipment, including 308 defibrillators for the county.

Julie Clegg, BHF area manager, said: “The generosity of people in the Lancashire area has been astonishing, and we want to thank every single person who has joined us in the fight against heart disease.

“Quite often people don’t realise that the sofa, or dress, that they donate actually raises vital funds, and helps pay for anything from an echo machine in the local hospital, to a community heart support group.”

Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK In Lancashire alone, a total of 2,253 people die from the disease every year.