Life-saving equipment has been installed in a popular community thanks to the efforts of school staff inspired by a friend and colleague who suffered a cardiac arrest at home.

A community defibrillator now sits on a wall at West Park Academy, Darlington, after staff successfully completed a sponsored Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge.

A team of 26 staff from the school tackled Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, a gruelling 24-mile trek totalling 5,200ft of climb, battling 40mph winds to finish in 11 hours 45minutes.

Their feat raised enough cash to provide a life-saving defibrillator outside the school gates in an area of increasing population that is popular with shoppers, runners, and dog walkers.

The Northern Echo: Staff from West Park Academy in Darlington with community defibrillator Staff from West Park Academy in Darlington with community defibrillator (Image: French & Lamming Media)

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Proceeds were also donated to the Great North Air Ambulance as its medical staff saved the life of former colleague Helen Dummett when she collapsed at home with a heart condition and was kept alive by her sons performing CPR until help arrived.

A total of £5,523.75 was raised, £4,120.20 of which will go to GNAA. Staff were also supported by JobReady, House Sign Direct, the West Park Levy Trust, Secure Electronic Engineering and local councillor Scott Durham.

Anyone needing the device will be able to ring 999 to be given a security code to access the machine.

The defibrillator itself then talks the user through the process with easy-to-understand instructions.

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Helen Dummett said: “They have all done such a wonderful, amazing job.”

The event was organised by the school’s PE co-ordinator Caroline Black. She said: “Helen was our inspiration and the community was so supportive – the donations were amazing.

“As a school and a community we all face challenges around the cost of living crisis so for everyone to put that aside is incredible and demonstrates the spirit that exists in this area. The equipment will be particularly valuable at the moment with the pressures on the ambulance service.”

School HR and office manager Cath Thirlway said: “The walk was so difficult. It was cold, wet and very windy. But the camaraderie in the build-up and on the walk was brilliant.

“One of the girls hurt her foot and it blew up like a balloon but she kept going. There were times when I just wanted to lie down then I would hear Caroline singing The Hills Are Alive and I was able to carry on.

“I’m not really much of a walker and when I started off I wondered what I was doing. But then I felt the spirit of my mum at my side saying come on you can do this. It was the best achievement of my life.”

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