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Coastal towns raise cash for life-saving equipment

KEVIN WARD Family members and friends of Kelly Brooks and Luke Organ headed up the defibrillator campaignKEVIN WARD
The new defibrillator was installed in Highbridge in memory of Luke Organ and Kelly Brooks - two local residents who died of a cardiac condition in 2022 and 2023

Two coastal communities have raised enough money to purchase and install three life-saving defibrillators.

Becky Ward from Highbridge lost her partner Luke Organ to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) in 2022 when he was 35, prompting her to raise money for two defibrillators - one inside a shop and another on the outside.

Meanwhile, a first aid volunteer from Watchet said she was inspired to raise money for a defibrillator after going on a course.

Lucy Shaw managed to raise the money in less than 12 hours.

Becky Ward said her partner's death was "totally out of the blue".

"I walked through with tea and then we found him passed away on the sofa."

Kevin Ward Luke Organ in front of a body of water, holding a large fishKevin Ward
Luke Organ died suddenly on his living room sofa in 2022

She praised the response time of the ambulance service, with paramedics trying for 90 minutes to revive Mr Organ.

"His heart just stopped," she said.

Ms Ward's brother Kevin said at the time there was only one defibrillator in Highbridge, Somerset, which at the time was out of action.

He organised a raffle to raise money for a new device inside a local furniture shop, further fundraising allowed a second device to be fitted on the outside of the building.

KEVIN WARD Plaque in loving memory of Luke Organ and Kelly BrooksKEVIN WARD
Both Luke Organ and Kelly Brooks were in their 30's and passed away within a year of one another

In Watchet, a campaign led by rugby first-aider Lucy Shaw successful reached its target in less than 24 hours.

Ms Shaw said she was inspired to help fund the device after attending a first aid course.

Watchet already had defibrillators installed near the harbour, but none in the more residential part of the town.

Ms Shaw told BBC Radio Somerset she put a call out on a local Facebook group and it took "less than 11 hours for the full amount to be pledged".

It will be installed on the side of a Co-op store on Liddymore Road.

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