A LEADING charity, local county councillor and community bookshop have all joined forces to help buy a piece of potentially life-saving equipment for Watchet Gym.

Age Concern Somerset donated £800 towards the cost of a defibrillator, while Watchet and Quantocks county councillor Anthony Trollope-Bellew gave £200 from his individual councillor's community fund.

A further £90 towards the cardiac equipment came from Watchet's successful Harbour Community Bookshop.

The defibrillator will be kept on stand-by at the gym, while volunteers will be given training on how to use it and other life-saving techniques by the British Heart Foundation.

Age Concern Somerset holds regularly morning sessions for the over 50s at the gym with instructor Lon McHale, while ex-servicemen and women can also take part free of charge with help from the Royal British Legion.

Dianne Ramsey, Age Concern's Ageing Well manager, said: "We would like to thank everyone for their help towards the cost.

"We have been waiting a long time to be able to purchase this really important piece of equipment and we would like to thank Lawrence Rayment for all his help in this matter.

"Anyone can join in our morning sessions and no special clothing is required."

More information is available from Dianne on 0845 6434702.

Lon McHale is pictured with fire service community officers Mike Keal and Andy Priest with the new equipment

 Photo: Steve Guscott