Top 50 Indie Sewell on the go has installed potentially life-saving defibrillators in six of its 12 stores at locations across Hull and the East Riding.

Patrick Sewell, managing director of Sewell on the go, said: “We have defibrillators in place at Sewell on the go in Cottingham, Chanterlands Avenue, South Cave, Sutton, Maybury and Hull West, and we hope to roll this out to all 12 of our stores in the not too distant future.

“We are in the process of training our staff in the use of defibrillators, which we believe is a vital and potentially lifesaving skill, and this is a great addition to the existing offering at our Sewell on the go sites.

“It’s beneficial for the community as a whole and, although we hope the defibrillators are not needed, it’s a positive step to have them in place just in case.”

Some of the installations are on routes used by Fitmums and Friends, a group which provides support and offers friendship through running and walking.

Sewell on the go has a partnership with Fitmums providing a safe haven for any runners who get into difficulty which offers water, and access to toilet facilities and telephone access should any member need it. The forecourts are also used as catch up points for the group.

Fitmums and Friends founder Sam Barlow said: “It’s absolutely brilliant. I’m a cardiac nurse by background and that’s where I started my nursing, so I know how important the defibrillators are.

“For the wider public, and sometimes Fitmums, you hear about people collapsing at events. I don’t think we need to worry but we will have the defibrillators on some of our routes and we have an interested, dynamic bunch of people who might be willing to learn how to use them.

“Having safe havens at Sewell on the go stores is fantastically reassuring anyway. But this makes us gold standard. It’s a real positive for us.”