ONE thousand defibrillators have been installed in the East of England in the past three months, including almost 200 in Essex.

The £800,000 project, led by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, has been completed ahead of schedule.

The scheme has seen the equipment installed in businesses, village halls, shops, sports clubs, pubs, tourist attractions, schools, hotels, and libraries.

Anthony Marsh, ambulance trust chief executive, said: “Ambulance staff aim to arrive at the scene of a cardiac arrest within minutes of the initial 999 call.

“However, every second counts and having a defibrillator on scene can make the vital difference between life or death.

“I’m proud that we have managed to deliver 1,000 defibrillators to key locations in communities across the East of England in under three months.”