A LIFE-saving machine has been delivered to a Vale pub.

The Coach and Horses in Harvington now has a defibrillator – a machine that can give the heart a life-saving electric shock in cases of cardiac arrest – after it was bought by the parish council.

The village decided the pub was a good spot for the defibrillator, which cost more than £2,000, as it is in the centre of Harvington. Ten villagers have received training on how to use the defibrillator in case of emergency.

Steve Salter, landlord of the Station Road pub, was one of those to receive the training. He said: “The idea came from one of my regulars because they went on a first aid course and had the defibrillator training.

“They said we should get one for the village and we decided to see we could do about it and spoke to the parish council.”

Harvington Parish Council approached Wychavon District Council last year with the idea of using some of the New Homes Bonus money available and it agreed to grant £2,310 for the project costs in December.

Mr Salter said: “The keys will be kept in the combination key safe next to the machine and everyone who is trained will have the code. Hopefully, it will never get used but if it does get used it is potentially life-saving.”

The installation of the machine is also part of a move by the landlord and his wife Diane to be closely involved with the community.

Mr Salter added: “It is part of our idea to open the pub up to the community. We have the Ukulele Club on Tuesday nights and an over-50s club on Thursdays.”