Shropshire school installs second defibrillator a year after teacher's sudden death

A defibrillator has been installed at Adams House, the boarding home for pupils at Thomas Adams School and Adams College in Wem.

The new piece of equipment comes less than a year after the sudden death of Gareth Utting, an English teacher at the school who died from a suspected heart attack on April 2 last year at the age of 37.

Another machine was installed on the school site last year in his memory, but first responder Lynne Stokes of Prees, who became a house parent in January, suggested installing one at the boarding house.

She said: "I love working here and helping to make sure pupils settle in. I want to make a positive contribution to their lives.

"I heard about the defibrillator at the school which was installed last year and realised that as this is a different site, it would not be able to help anyone here.

"This is a 24-hour site. It is important because you never know. Hopefully it won't need to be used."

The defibrillator has been installed with the help of North Shropshire Community First Responders and West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The device could restart someone's heart who has suffered a cardiac arrest by sending an electric shock to the heart.

The school's first defibrillator was funded through a charity football match in memory of Mr Utting and 11 members of staff there have been trained how to use it.

Nicki Cooper, head of boarding, said the new addition means all pupils across Thomas Adams School, Adams College and Adams House are reachable within three minutes if they need treatment.

She said: "It is something we have been discussing for quite a long time, we are really grateful that we can have it here.

"We going to be trained in the defibrillator but also choking, CPR, major bleeds, recovery position and how to recognise a heart attack."