Heartfelt plea to help buy defibrillator

A riverside restaurant and bar has started an appeal to to buy a life-saving piece of equipment.

Cupcakes 4 Heartbreaks has been launched at Water's Edge, Castlegate, Newark, to buy a defibrillator.

The equipment gives a high energy electric shock to the heart through the chest wall to someone who is in cardiac arrest.

The general manager, Donna-Melody Boxall, is keen to encourage more people to learn how to use one.

She said they had decided to raise the money for the equipment after she and her team underwent first aid training.

"Our instructor was so passionate about defibrillators we felt that it was important that we had one," she said.

When they first came up with the idea the nearest one was at the Asda supermarket but since then one has been installed on Castlegate.

"We still really want to get one that could be used by anyone using the river," said Donna-Melody.

The aim is to raise £1,500 by selling home-made cup cakes decorated with hearts which are available from today for £1 each.

There will also be bucket collections.