Castle Combe’s football club has ensured matchdays at its home ground will be a safer experience for young footballers and spectators.

Colts, whose 300-strong membership includes children aged from four to 18, has installed a defibrillator at its Upper Castle Combe headquarters.

It started fundraising after learning of the cardiac arrest suffered by Bradford Town’s Quinton Barham in an under-14s match last year.

The Trowbridge teenager was playing in the Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League, in which a number of Colts teams also participate, and made a full recovery following heart bypass surgery.

Colts raised more than £1,000 by helping out at one of Castle Combe Circuit’s monthly car boot sales.

The club took delivery of the life-saving technology after the South Western Ambulance Service Trust started a scheme in March.

It was tipped off about the project by the Chippenham Area Partnership, and the scheme has delivered a further 110 machines across the country.

Colts secretary Trevor Newman said: “We felt we needed to make the significant investment after the incident involving a young player in the youth league.

“That showed that you can never be complacent when it comes to first aid support. Although we obviously hope that we never have to use the defibrillator at all, it is good to know it is there.”

The trust trained 12 club coaches and committee members at Chippenham’s ambulance station last week.

Anyone interested in the defibrillator scheme can call (01392) 261647 or email responders@swast.nhs.uk