"Brilliant, hard-working" St John Ambulance volunteers were thanked by Watford's MP during a visit to learn more about their work and support raising awareness of the symptoms of cardiac arrests and other life-threatening conditions.

Dean Russell MP, who had a heart attack last year, heard about how the volunteers provide first aid training and foster first aid confidence within the Watford community.

The Watford and Bushey Event Services Unit, which Mr Russell visited on Monday, is one of the busiest St John units in Hertfordshire.

It has been operational since 1901 and has more than 15 dedicated volunteers providing first aid training and medical assistance at communal events such as Watford FC matches, school events, and other gatherings.

During the visit, the volunteers demonstrated a resuscitation scenario and taught the MP essential first aid skills like administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), treating wounds, and how to handle a choking incident.

They also discussed with MP Russell their personal experiences in volunteering and the importance of contributing back to the community through such service.

"I would like to thank the brilliant, hard-working volunteers from St John Ambulance in Watford for inviting me to learn more about their lifesaving work," the MP said.

"I was pleased to learn about the first aid services they provide, and the role volunteers play in supporting the NHS and local communities.

"We have all seen St John volunteers ready to provide first aid cover at events across Watford.

"I was interested to hear about the Unit’s desire to grow the number of adult volunteers to help strengthen first aid resilience in Watford.

"When it comes to health incidents such as cardiac arrests, we know every second counts, that’s why it's vital, we train more people in first aid to respond to boost survival rates and respond to local health emergencies.

"Sadly, last year, I had a heart attack at the age of 47, but I knew the vital signs thanks to work I had done previously with a charity.

"I encourage people across Watford to get involved with St John Ambulance’s work to keep our communities safe and help save lives."

In the UK, fewer than one in ten people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, making it one of the biggest killers despite an annual incidence of 30,000 cases.

However, the survival rate can substantially improve to 70 per cent when communities are empowered with first aid skills, particularly CPR and defibrillation.

Clare Hamilton, unit manager, said: "We were delighted to welcome Dean Russell MP to our Watford and Bushey Unit.

"Dean has been a passionate first aid advocate detailing the importance of volunteering and campaigning in Parliament to ensure everyone receives the physical and mental health first aid training to give back to their communities.

"Visits such as this give valuable publicity and encourage more people to support our lifesaving work.

"Right now, we are actively recruiting for volunteers to support our event first aid operations.

"St John Volunteers are an integral part of the life of the community in Watford. We encourage people of all ages to get involved and help us save lives."