A newly installed defibrillator in Leavesden has added to the collection of devices across the Abbots and Kings Langley parishes.

A defibrillator at the Cooperative store in Abbotswood Park is now available to people living in the new Leavesden housing development.

Councillor Jane Lay began a project to have defibrillators installed across the village during her time as chairman of Abbots Langley Parish Council last year and she explained why it was important to have one in Abbotswood Park.

She said: “When you’ve got 425 homes around here, it’s necessary, and it’s accessible by everyone. If someone has an accident at one of the play areas nearby, it’s accessible.

“Even if it saves just one person that would be marvellous.”

Abbots Langley Parish Council was the first parish or town council in Hertfordshire to install public defibrillators available for emergency use 24 hours a day and there are still plans for more.

Cllr Lay added: “There’s one at Manor House now, one in the village on Henderson Hall, which was one of the first ones, they’re all over the place now which is lovely.

“We’ve been looking for one down Lemonfield Drive and that sort of area but we don’t own any buildings down there so it’s very difficult unless somebody comes forward and says they would have it on their house – I don’t think it takes too much electricity – and then possible another one down at Primrose Hill.

“Also, a lot of firms in the area have got them inside their buildings, but that’s no good, we want them outside the buildings.

“Hopefully we’ll get another two in the parish.”