THE number of mini heart-start machines being implanted into patients at a North-East hospital needs to double to meet demand, according to experts.

Only about 15 heart patients are fitted with the mini-difibrillators every year.

But experts at South Cleveland Hospital in Middlesbrough say they should be doing at least 30.

While specialists at the Teesside heart unit say they have never turned down a patient who needed a defibrillator they say more funds are urgently needed.

Former runner Paul Harker's life was saved after doctors at the hospital implanted a tiny defibrillator into his chest last year.

The sophisticated £25,000 device is on 24-hour duty, monitoring his heart for abnormal rhythms. If it detects a problem it will "shock" his heart back to a normal rhythm.

Experts say that about two per cent of all heart attack victims could benefit from an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD).

But only a limited number of the devices have been implanted.

To help the heart unit, Mr Harker, who lives in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is organising a fundraising event.

"I just want to pay them back in the best way I can. They saved my life," said Mr Harker, a father-of-two who received a defibrillator after collapsing following a race in Newcastle, last April.

Eve Knight, spokeswoman for the British Cardiac Patients' Association, acknowledged the Government's injection of more funds into the treatment of heart disease, but said they needed to go further.

"Much more money needs to be put into implants. By spending £25,000 at an early stage in an illness. we can save lives and save money in the long-term," she said.

Mr Harker is a member of a 33 strong group of South Cleveland patients who have implanted defibrillators.

"It is watching over me 24 hours a day," he said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the Government had made the fight against heart disease a priority and extra millions were already being directed into the sector of the health service.

"The money is going towards cardiac treatment and equipment, and extra resources are on their way." she said.

Dr Jim Hall, spokesman for the South Cleveland heart unit, said: "We currently do about 15 ICDs a year. The population of one and a half million which we serve suggests we should be doing double that amount."

He said there was "no doubt" that purchasing health authorities needed to set aside more money for implanted defibrillators.

There are still about 30 tickets left for the fundraising event at the Ambassador Suite at Darlington Football Club. The event, which includes food and a live band starts at 7pm on September 16. Tickets are available from (01325) 300058.