DORCHESTER is now a safer place to shop in thanks to the arrival of new life saving equipment.

The town’s BID (Business Improvement District) has purchased new portable Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), which can shock the heart into restarting after a cardiac arrest, to add to five static machines already in place.

St John Ambulance will also support the £3,500 investment by providing free training for 12 people on how to use the machines.

Phil Gordon from the Dorchester BID said: “The defibrillators in the town cannot be taken out of the buildings where they’re installed, which makes them totally useless outside of their location.

“These new portable units will be located in a triangle around town – the Post Office, Goulds Fashion and The Royal Oak – and there will be two people trained at each of these locations, plus a further six around the town, to make sure there will always be someone on hand in case of an emergency.

“This is a true legacy project that will provide a lifeline to people using Dorchester town centre for many years to come, making it an even safer place to shop.”

In the United Kingdom one person suffers a cardiac arrest every two minutes and as many as one in three die before they reach hospital but survival rates increase by more than 50 per cent if a defibrillator is used within the first four minutes.

South West regional director for St John’s commercial training division John Cavanagh said: “We welcome how seriously the team at Dorchester BID is taking first aid – access to an AED can make a real difference.”