THE TIMELY work of two members of Wrexham Rural Community First Responder team who saved the life of a cardiac patient highlights the importance of the volunteer service.

Daniel Davies and Laura Sharp were commended after they managed to get the ailing patient's heart working again by performing CPR and using a defibrillator to shock the patient several times.

They assisted the ambulance crew and such was their success that when the pair left hospital the patient was sitting up in bed having a cup of tea.

Daniel, from Caia Park, and Laura, from Rossett, who are both in their 30s, have been trained in life-saving skills by the Welsh Ambulance Service as First Responders.

In their roles they attend life-threatening jobs and start administering essential treatment until an ambulance arrives.

Terence Brownhill, co-ordinator of the First Responder team, said: "This shows the importance of having volunteers trained in life-saving skills to get to these sorts of incidents.

"Our volunteers give up a lot of their own time and complete several courses to learn their expertise. Cardiac patients are only a small percentage of the patients they help."

The Wrexham Rural Community First Responder team currently has 30 volunteer staff and around 15 defibrillators, but it is looking to expand its team and build up its stock of equipment through fundraising.