A PIECE of lifesaving technology has been unveiled in Ochiltree.

A public access defibrillator (PAD), which will be accessible 24/7 for emergencies, has been installed at the village's Community Hub.

The PAD was won by local women, Sarah Tadourian, on the NFU stand at the Royal Highland Show this year when she had a go at hands-only CPR and entered the prize draw.

East Neuk First Responders organised the draw as part of their work with Save a Life for Scotland - a government led initiative to improve the survival rate for heart attack victims.

Around 3,500 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year in Scotland, with less than 10 per cent surviving due to lack of bystander CPR and the availability of PADs.

Gillian Duncan, East Neuk’s co-ordinator, said: “Every second counts when someone is in cardiac arrest, the quicker CPR is started and a shock is delivered the better the chance of survival.

“We are extremely grateful to the NFU for supporting our rural CPR training initiative, their past President John Cameron, Balbuthie for donating the defibrillator and the local community council for organising the installation of the PAD."

Whilst no training is required to use the equipment it makes its use even more effective if people attend a PAD awareness evening.

East Neuk First Responders, supported by the local Fire and Rescue Service crew from Cumnock, delivered one of these training sessions at the hub last week.

Station Manager Alan Coughtrie said: “Early intervention following cardiac arrest is essential in improving survival rates of patients who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

"I'm delighted the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is working in partnership with our local communities to support this important lifesaving initiative”.

Alex Baird from the Ochiltree Community Hub, where the apparatus was unveiled on October 4, said: "The event went exceptionally well.

"The most important thing for us now is to let everyone in the village know that it is here should they ever need to use it."