MIDDLEWICH Cricket Club is now equipped with a life-saving defibrillator after the fundraising efforts of two long-standing members. 

First team player Richard Clorley, 34, and wife Helen, 38, completed the Nantwich Triathlon in May and have now bought a defibrillator for the club with the money raised from the challenge.

The couple, who have three children playing for the junior section of the club, wanted to raise the money for the defibrillator to make playing the sport as a safe as possible for the club’s juniors.

Richard said: “Me and my wife Helen did the Nantwich Triathlon with the intention to raise enough to get a defibrillator for the junior section at the club. 

“It is something so simple that can save lives so it really should be made available at most sporting grounds. 

“It’s something that the public have become more aware of recently since the incident with the Bolton footballer Fabrice Muamba and when you look into it, the statistics are phenomenal. Less than 10 per cent of people survive without a defibrillator.

“It’s a club that’s really close to our hearts, I have played for the team for many years and we have three boys that all play cricket for the club and their all down the club all the time. 

“This defibrillator won’t just help Middlewich Cricket Club bit the football club is over the road and it is there for the whole community to use if needed.

“Hopefully nothing will happen but in the event that it does, we are equipped.”

The triathlon consisted of a 500m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run.

Middlewich Cricket Club chairman Simon McGrory thanked Richard and Helen for their efforts and said having a defibrillator at the club is ‘essential’.

Simon said: “Richard and Helen are long standing members of the club and it has been a great effort from both of them and it’s fantastic news for the facilities here.

“I think in modern day sporting venues it’s essential. There seems to have been an increase in reliance on defibrillators and being fully prepared is the best form of action.”