AN ambulance service has rolled out a flagship first responder scheme on a Durham housing estate.

Community first responder Martin Gillie has been trained to use an automatic defibrillator, which can provide vital treatment in the minutes before an ambulance arrives to residents in Newton Hall if they suffer a heart attack.

Mr Gillie is currently employed by the ambulance service and works as an ambulance urgent care assistant at Newcastle General Hospital.

He also lives at Newton Hall and feels the residents would benefit further from the scheme if he had some support.

He said: "I am looking for local companies or individuals to help raise funds or sponsor the scheme to help me buy more equipment."

First responders are trained in life support skills, including how to use a defibrillator to provide an electric shock to a heart.

They are on call to respond to adults suffering chest pain, breathlessness, unconsciousness and cardiac arrest and act as a support for North-East Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

North-East Ambulance Service launched their pilot First Responder's group in Trimdon, County Durham, in January 2001.

Since then a total of 57 schemes across the North-East have been set up, with approximately 370 trained responders.

Nine more schemes are due to be launched across the region.

For more information about the scheme, contact 0191-273 1212.