MORE life-saving machines have been installed around Wallingford following a successful fundraising campaign from residents.

A network of five defibrillators is now in place to ensure anyone who suffers a major medical episode can get help before paramedics arrives.

In recent years, the first for the town was installed outside The Old Post Office in St Martin's Street and two more followed at Wallingford School in St George's Road.

Now a fourth has been added at Fir Tree Junior School in Radnor Road, and at the weekend a fifth was added at Hithercroft Sports Park in Hithercroft Road.

The new additions come following a push for people in the town to donate cash for the equipment which anyone could one day need and around £6,000 was raised.

Independent county councillor Lynda Atkins, said she welcomed the addition to the town and was liaising with the town council to identify two more locations for defibrillators.

She said: "Each defibrillator plus the cabinet installation costs between £1,500 and £1,800 and we are pleased we are now quite well served in the town, although we are looking for two more suitable locations.

"With so many listed buildings it can be surprisingly difficult to get the go-ahead for a defibrillator to be installed."

Hairdresser Susan Handy began campaigning for defibrillators in 2013 and raised £2,200 and the town's first defibrillator was installed in St Martin’s Street in 2015.

She was with fellow campaigners at the sports park on Sunday to unveil the latest device, which delivers an electric current to the heart of a patient who has suffered a cardiac arrest.

Ms Atkins added: "The two defibrillators at Wallingford School were funded through the school, so we do have some funding left for more and we will carry on our fundraising.

"The machines themselves are very easy to use - you call 999 and someone from the ambulance service will tell you how to get into the cabinet."

Ms Atkins said a number of defibrillator training sessions have been held in the town and more will be held at a date to be fixed.

She said she was not aware that any residents have so far needed to use a defibrillator in the town.

The former mayor added: "That's obviously a good thing because it means no-one has suffered a cardiac arrest but you never know when someone might need one."

John Atkins, chairman of Wallingford Sports Trust, which runs Wallingford Sports Park, said: "The defibrillator is on the side of our main building and we are very pleased it is there.

"It's fabulous for people who use the sports park, and for anyone who lives in the area.

"Staff from SCAS will come and do training sessions for members of different clubs at the sports park."

The defibrillators in Wallingford's are part of a larger network across Oxfordshire.

By March last year, more than 500 defibrillators had been established across the county following a campaign led by South Central Ambulance Service divisional commander Dick Tracey.

The initiative was backed by the Herald's sister paper the Oxford Mail.

At the time, Mr Tracey said: "It’s my desire that wherever you are, you should be no more than 10 minutes away from a publicly accessible defibrillator.

"There’s evidence to show that if someone is suffering from a cardiac arrest then the earlier the defibrillation, the greater chance of survival and the better quality of life post-survival.

"For every minute that ticks by the chances of a successful resuscitation diminishes by 10 per cent on average. I will be doing this until the day I drop."