POLICE officers in Ambleside are taking part in a pilot scheme as First Responders' after undergoing training in basic life support skills.

The initiative, run in conjunction with Cumbria Ambulance Service, will run for an initial 12 months with the aim of extending this voluntary scheme to other rural areas within the county.

Insp Tudor Griffiths said this was an additional service to aid the ambulance service and community First Responders: "Officers are enthusiastic about the initiative and are keen to use the training they have received, which ultimately may well save a life in the future."

First Responders' are community volunteers who agree to undertake training in order to provide life-saving treatment to those people within the community who are critically injured or ill in the first few minutes prior to the arrival of an ambulance.

Police officers in Ambleside have been trained to deal with reports of collapse, drowning, choking and chest pain involving the use of defibrillators, administering oxygen and basic life support skills.

Ian Underwood from the control centre of Cumbria Ambulance Service said: "The difficulties faced by a patient in rural areas can only be helped by the introduction of this innovative scheme."

On request of assistance from the public, the ambulance control centre will immediately dispatch an ambulance and in turn page the community First Responder' for that area.

This new scheme will mean they can now contact the police who will contact their First Responder', ensuring basic life support skills can be administered as quickly as possible.

PC David Hall said: "This addition to the community First Responder' team will further enhance the chances of a person requiring immediate basic life support assistance receiving it and ultimately increase their chances of survival."