SEVEN members of Barrow Inner Wheel Club, accompanied by two spouses, visited Barrow Fire Station to take part in a Heart Start course.

The course was led by Firefighter Mark Sharpe and his colleague, Adam, from Red Watch.

Jane Smith, Secretary Barrow Inner Wheel, said: "We were shown how to administer CPR using the resuscitation dolls and the technique of putting a patient into the recovery position if unconscious but breathing.

"We learned that the defibrillator is not a machine to be feared while Mark talked us through all the stages of using it.

"He explained every aspect clearly and with good humour - with Adam as a willing 'choking' victim.

"The whole experience was calm, informative and reassuring.

"We were very pleased to receive our Heart Start certificates at the end of the afternoon and all came away feeling that, if required, we could make a difference one day."