Dentists and other staff at a practice in Devizes are to learn a new skill that may help to save lives in the town.

Long Street Dental has bought a defibrillator that can be used if someone suffers a heart attack and will be trained how to use it.

Principal dentist at the practice, Nick Flindall, said: “We know that every second counts in a medical emergency, and access to a defibrillator could make all the difference.

“That’s why we decided to make this worthwhile investment, ensuring that our standards of patient care reflect the high quality of dentistry we provide on a daily basis.

“The team and I all receive regular training on the device, so we can be ready to use it should we ever need to.”

The dental practice has been operating in Devizes for more than 50 years and hopes the investment of around £1,000 in the defibrillator will help to save lives.

It will be used to deliver an electric shock to the chest to restore a person’s heart to a normal rhythm after a cardiac arrest.