Volunteers from Walney Island Community First Responders have installed a new defibrillator at St Mary’s Church.

The group, which volunteers under the umbrella of the North West Ambulance Service and are called out to certain medical emergencies across Furness, used funds raised through the Co-op’s membership scheme to pay for the £1,425 defibrillator.

When a Co-op member buys own-brand products from food stores or a funeral plan or funeral from Funeralcare they earn a five per cent reward for themselves with a further one per cent going to local good causes.

Volunteer Colleen Fagan said: "It was amazing watching the money build up to an amount way beyond our expectations. We could not place these life-saving defibrillators without this support and although we hope they never have to be used the fact that they are there could make a difference to a life in our community.

"We can't thank the Co-op, their community fund and their customers enough for the support they have given us raising this money.”

Co-op stores in and around South Cumbria are currently supporting a number of good causes, including The Barrow and Districts Society for the Blind, Millom Stepping Stones, Ulverston Inshore Rescue and Walney Island Community First Responders.

Rufus Olins, g roup director community and campaigns at the Co-op, said: “The more people shop, the more we share and we’d really like to increase the amounts that we pay out. So the way communities can help to achieve this is to become a member and shop with the Co-op."