HEART attack victims in the region should soon have a better chance of survival because of a National Lottery-funded scheme.

Thousands of electric heart-start machines - or defibrillators - are to be distributed around the country as part of a scheme run by the British Heart Foundation, paid for by the Lottery's New Opportunities Fund.

The region's two ambulance services will be invited to apply to the scheme with a detailed list suggesting where the defibrillators would be best deployed.

The plan is to make defibrillators available in places where people most at risk of cardiac arrest would benefit, such as busy shopping centres and bus stations.

Research suggests that having defibrillators close by will mean a nine-fold increase in people's chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest.

The £6m funding across England will also pay for a community defibrillator officer at each of the 32 amb-ulance services, including the North East Ambulance Service and the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas). This will lead to more people in communities being trained to use a defibrillator.

A Tenyas spokesman said: "We are delighted with the funding and look forward to getting the equipment."