A SOCIAL media campaign has helped to identify almost 300 pieces of life-saving equipment that can now be used to help cardiac arrest patients.

Celebrity Paddy McGuinness helped North West Ambulance Service to find defibrillators installed in schools, public buildings and organisations across the area.

Their shoctober campaign using the hashtag #findthedefib uncovered 290 machines paramedics were unaware of.

Automated external defibrillators are small machines which can ‘shock’ a person’s heart into restarting.

They are easy to use as they talk through the process and they won’t deliver a shock unless it is required. There is no clinical training required to be able to use the machine.

MPs, schools, gyms, youth groups, fire services, police officers, sports teams, councils, supermarkets, media organisations, business owners and NWAS staff all rose to the challenge to ‘find the defib’.

NWAS community engagement manager Andy Redgrave said: “The response from the public and organisations was absolutely fantastic.

“It’s heartening to learn that all these people know the importance of having defibrillators in public places.

“Our ultimate aim is for defibrillators to be installed in areas of high footfall, including schools and colleges, and for them to be positioned alongside fire extinguishers and first aid kits.

“A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone – young or old, at any time and the use of a defibrillator within the first few minutes, while professional help is on the way, can improve the chances of survival by up to 70 per cent.”

Last year, the trust attended 13,636 suspected cardiac arrest incidents.