LIFESAVERS are needed to join a new scheme of volunteers who will train to use heart shockers on heart attack victims.

A public meeting will be held in Great Harwood to discuss how to set up networks of trained first responders in Great Harwood, Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors.

Malcolm Hordern, who is running the Heart of Lancashire Appeal, said two volunteers had already come forward in Great Harwood but at least ten more were needed for each town.

They will be trained to use an automatic external defibrillator, which can restart a victim's heart, and will be on call for a shift of about 12 hours every week.

Malcolm said: "They would be able to go about their normal business while they were on shift. If they got a phone call from a 999 operator, they would be asked to go to a heart attack victim if it was thought they could get there before the ambulance."

He said Lancashire ambulances reached patients within 7.7 minutes on average, but heart attack patients risked death if they didn't get help within four minutes.

More volunteers are also needed to help raise cash to buy the machines. Anyone interested in joining the scheme can come to the meeting at Churchfield House, Church Street, Great Harwood, on Wednesday at 7pm, or call 01772 711510.