A Suffolk village’s newest community asset could one day save a life.

A defibrillator has recently been installed outside the village hall in Bredfield, near Woodbridge.

The device, which can deliver a brief electric jolt to establish a normal heart rhythm, was funded by a combination of local grants.

District councillor, Tony Fryatt supplied £1,000 from his Community Enabling Budget, while the remaining £800 came from the parish council, the village hall and the adjacent village shop.

The cost included additional pads specifically designed for children.

Parish councillor, Tony Richardson put forward the idea following discussions with other villagers.

Mr Richardson, who underwent a quadruple heart bypass operation seven years ago, said the village hall was an ideal location for the defibrillator, hosting a number of regular activities and exercise classes, as well as taking booking for wedding receptions and functions.

“It is really the central hub of the village,” he said. “The shop is also located there. As with many villages in Suffolk, we have quite an aged population, who often attend the shop.”

A number of villagers will be shown a training video and given a key code needed to remove the defibrillator from the cabinet.

The device has also been registered with the ambulance service, so emergency callers can be told the code and directed to the village hall.

In the unlikely event of a power failure, the cabinet can also be opened with a key.

Mr Richardson said the defibrillator can be easily operated and comes with voice prompts, diagrams and ‘go-lights’, which illuminate when the pads have been correctly placed.

He hopes other villages will install defibrillators and can be contacted for more on how Bredfield acquired one, at sts@anglianet.co.uk.