WHILE Launceston Cricket Club’s players are gearing up for another summer of bat and ball, there will be one notable difference at their Lawhitton ground.

They have recently had a public access defibrillator donated to them by Bude-based charity Jay’s AIM, which has been put on to the side of the pavilion.

Launceston run three senior men’s teams, a ladies and three junior teams and also host Cornwall Over 50s, county junior matches and touring teams.

Community groups and organisations also hire out the pavilion, making it a well-suited location for a defibrillator, especially as the ground is situated on the road between Stourscombe and Lawhitton, a couple of miles outside the centre of town.

Launceston Cricket Club stalwart Mervyn Dawe, who along with president Geoff Hills applied for the defibrillator, said: “As a cricket club with many different age groups we are aware that with any physical activity there is always a chance that cardiac arrest is a possibility.

“While for most healthy people this is not a problem, a small number of sports people will have an undiagnosed heart condition which could lead to a cardiac arrest. With this in mind, we decided to apply to Jay’s AIM for a defibrillator to be fixed at our club which is also available for public access.”

Jay’s AIM spokesperson, Dan Osborne, said: “Launceston Cricket Club applied for a public access defibrillator using our online application form a couple of months ago.

“With 140 people using the club on a regular basis as well as being situated close to the village of Lawhitton, the team felt this was a good venue to site a public access defibrillator.”

CPR/AED training is going to be provided for members of the public free of charge in the clubhouse on Wednesday, April 8 (7pm).

For more information about the training evening or the, email either [email protected] or [email protected]