A DARWEN woman who lost her husband to a heart attack has donated a life-saving defibrillator to Darwen Leisure Centre in the hope that other lives may be saved.

The defibrillator arrived at Darwen Leisure Centre a fortnight ago and is now up and running following staff training this week.

Sylvia Corran of Hoddlesden, whose husband Steve collapsed from a heart attack at the Green Street leisure centre last September, managed to raise more than £3,000 with the help of family and friends to buy the equipment.

Duty officer at the centre Albino Ferro said that around a dozen staff had been trained in how to use the machine by Blackburn with Darwen Council's training co-ordinator Marion Penman. He said that in the past the defibrillator machines had tended to be quite complex but now they were much simpler to use and so staff were able to use them at the centre. Members of staff are to be re-trained every three months in how to use the machine.

Mr Ferro added that defibrillator machines were appearing in more and more places, and staff were thrilled that Mrs Corran had donated one to the leisure centre.

He said: "Although an ambulance comes in a couple of minutes the defibrillator is always here and it could save a life."

Mr Corran was 50 when he died during a work-out at the centre, attempts by staff failed to resuscitate him.

He was a keen fitness fanatic who managed the Darwen Blue Star youth football team before becoming a youth scout at Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United.

His childhood sweetheart Sylvia, who met Steve when she was just 14, wanted to set up a memorial fund to buy the defibrillator in the hope that it may save someone else's life.

She said: "It was such a shock when he died. I didn't want flowers but wanted to do something else with the money."

The cash was raised after family and friends donated money instead of buying flowers for the funeral. A tribute night was also staged at the Craiglands's Function Rooms in Watery Lane, Darwen which raised £1,400.