A POLICE officer who condemned thieves for stealing a defibrillator from a school has helped them replace it.

PC Emma Bowman has been working with schools in Gateshead and a charity over the past four years to have defibrillators installed.

Last month she has spoken of her shock after police received a report that thieves had stolen a defibrillator from outside Bill Quay Primary School on Davison Road.

PC Bowman condemned the actions of the person responsible and called on them to do the right thing and contact police.

She also pledged to try and replace the equipment and organised a charity boot camp to help raise the funds to buy the school the equipment.

But the officer was delighted when she was sent a message on social media by the Stephen Carey Fund who offered to buy the equipment themselves.

They have now presented teachers and pupils at Bill Quay School with the new defibrillator.

PC Bowman still took part in a charity boot camp, dressed in full police riot gear, at LG Fitness in Dunston on Sunday.

She sweated it out so she could raise money to help pay for more defibrillators and life-saving training at schools across the region.

She said: “I was really shocked that thieves had targeted the school and robbed them of equipment that could ultimately save a life.

“Myself and my colleagues have been fundraising for a while to get defibrillators fitted in every school in Gateshead so this was quite upsetting.

“I wanted to do something to help and as soon as I heard what happened I got in touch with the school.”

The defibrillator is believed to have been stolen between 12pm on Saturday, August 24, and 9am on Monday, September 2.

Anyone who has information about what happened, or who committed the offence, can report it by calling 101.