A MACHINE that could save the life of a heart-attack victim has been installed by a company based on Malvern's Spring Lane Trading Estate.

The defibrillator, which delivers electric shocks that can restart the heart of someone in cardiac arrest, has just been handed over to at The Foster Care Co-Operative.

Once staff at the company are trained, they will be on the alert to leap into action if anyone in the area suffers a heart attack.

Anna Bard of the company said: "We are delighted to have a defibrillator installed and look forward to the training session for our staff later this month. It will be very reassuring to know this equipment is available both for ourselves and for local businesses."

Once Foster Care staff have been trained, details will be circulated around the firms on Spring Lane, telling them how to get in touch during a cardiac emergency.

The machine, recommended by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), is designed to be used by minimally-trained people, using voice prompts and illuminated illustrations to tell a rescuer what to do.

The BHF has paid £500 of the machine's total cost, with the rest being provided by The Foster Care Co-Operative and fellow businesses Pendragon, Xitec and Optimec. Contributions from other firms on the estate will be welcomed by The Foster Care Co-Operative.

Andy Kibble of the West Midland Ambulance Service, who handed the device over, said: "It's a life saver. The delivery of a defibrillator shock can significantly increase the chance of the patient's survival.”