VILLAGERS in Overton are celebrating after a potentially life-saving defibrillator was installed.

The device will be in the Co-operative store in Winchester Street in case of life-threatening emergencies and more than 100 people in the village are set to be trained to use it.

The first person to put the idea forward of having a defibrillator was parish councillor Peter Baker, who alerted the parish council of other villages in Hampshire installing them.

They backed the project to have one in Overton, and now the first batch of 30 people are set to be trained after Mr Baker spoke to clubs, societies and businesses in the village.

The cost of training and the defibrillator is £1,100 and it has been funded by Overton Parish council, the Cooperative store in Winchester Street, the British Heart Foundation and the Overton Business Association.

To mark the village having a defibrillator, dozens of people gathered at the Co-operative store to celebrate and eight staff at the store will be among those who are trained to use it.

Overton parish councillor Peter Baker, said: “A year ago the idea was brought to a parish council meeting and I said that other villages had them and I thought it would be a good idea to have one.

“Organisers of clubs with the elderly, sports people of all ages, shopkeepers and churches know how important a quick response to a heart attack is.”